Wallaroo Observatory starts - thank god

[strongmanmike]

Well it took me long enough and way too much complaining :P...but I've turned the soil....all dug by hand

Should have the footing and slab done in the next week or two, then up with the walls and dome and then...well we will see :thumbsup:

Wallaroo Observatory (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/gallery/building_wallaroo_observatory)

Will be a Sirius 2.3m Observatory on a 2.5m diameter circular slab, 600X600X600 pier footing, metal pier on top

Yes that's the AG12 on the NJP mount under the black bag.....needs a better home huh?

Mike

[multiweb]

So your boy digs and you take all the credit? :P ;)
First time I got mine to wash the car I heard words such as explotation, child slavery, etc... all sorted out when I mentioned pocket money though. :lol:

Good to see it's under way now. That's going to make a huge difference for you. :thumbsup:

[Larryp]

I envy you, Mike! Dark skies and a permanent observatory:thumbsup:

[h0ughy]

great news Mike

[Ric]

SOIL!!, you have soil to dig into. :eyepop:

All I've got is approx 5cm of top soil and then it's solid rock.

I reckon I could just chemset a pier into the rock and it would never move. :lol:

Good luck with the build Mike, looking forward to the finished product pictures.

[sheeny]

Congrats, Mike!

Its been a while without an obs for you.

:thumbsup:

Al.

[tlgerdes]

I saw the pictures and was thinking exactly the same thing.:question:

[mozzie]

geez the ground looks bloody dry...
good to have an observ again so much easier.!!!!!!
ahh!!!! kids and work my 9 year old has been paving for the last 2 days...offered $50 bucks and he's worked like a trooper....:):)by 1.30 today had asleep on the pavers for awhile he was buggered...

[DavidU]

Awesome news Mike, now hurry up and finish it so we can see more awesome images:D

[naskies]

Looking good, Mike! How much automation will you have? Motorised dome? Fully automated imaging runs?

Random question - where does one acquire those cinder blocks that you have your pier sitting on?

[Paul Haese]

aaaahhh diggin a hole. Yes I have another one or two of those to do in the near future. Good to see you in the process of getting a lodging for your scope.

[ChrisM]

Looking good Mike.
Chris

[jase]

'bout time! Good stuff Mike! MaxDome II all the way I hope. Looking forward to seeing progress updates.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Guys :thumbsup:

No automation, this will be essentially just a nice convenient scope cover that will mean no setup each night and little dew problems but mostly NO BLOODY WIND :lol:

Dave, I got those half Besser blocks from Magnet Mart, three shallow holes, a bag of quick set concrete and there you have it, very stable and some elevation :thumbsup:

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Oh don't worry Ric I have visible surface rock on my property too and very near to this too, so I was quite concerned I would hit some when digging but luckily I didn't, phew...

Mike

[allan gould]

Mike
I can recommend motorising the dome rotation as it adds so much to the enjoyment of the observatory. Anyway what ever it will really add to your pleasure.
Allan

[naskies]

A-ha! Besser blocks... so that's what they're called! :lol: I hopped onto Gumtree and found a local guy selling some used ones for $1 each... perfect! :thumbsup:

[marc4darkskies]

That's great news Mike - Congrats mate! :thumbsup::cool::clap::party:

Cheers, Marcus

PS: Eeek, no automation ... = remembering to rotate the dome during many hours of exposure! Go on, get the dome automation kit .... you know you want it! ;)

[bert]

You realise with the dome slit with your 12 inch aperture you will have to move the dome around every 25 minutes or less (depending on where you are pointing).

I had a 12 inch scope with a 2.3 sirius and it is tight fit aperture wise, and that was with automation moving the dome every 5 minutes.

[Bassnut]

Excellent Mike, well done. Ventilate it though, you can lose 1-2 arc secs of seeing with thermals in a small dome. I'll be back online soon too, can't wait :)

[strongmanmike]

Yes, had thought about dome rotation/automation but it is so expensive :sadeyes:...I had a Sirius 2.3m previously (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/61904933/original) with the Meade 12" LX200GPS under it so I am quite familiar with the requirements of moving this size dome slit with a 12" and it wasn't tooo bad but I will need to move the guide scope to the top of the tube cradle rather than the side of the mount as I have it currently (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/146681973/original).

We will see, if I get the shights I may add dome automation later :)

Mike

[strongmanmike]

The pier footing is now ready for concrete (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/150003523/original)..hopefully this week before SPSP..? It's just over 0.6m cubed which is over 1/2 a ton of concrete so should hold steady, 25mm gal threaded rod sunk in the concrete to take the metal pier, seen HERE (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/55621591/original), at the former Mt Campbell Observatory

Next...the slab :thumbsup:

Mike

[strongmanmike]

So are you saying put in conduits..? :question: :lol:

Yes, I would under other circumstances but since we are just renting this property I was kind of just going to make it a fairly simple setup, so no trenching etc ie it won't be connected to power or data etc essentially it will be a nice housing for the scope and I will run any cables out each session.

If it were on my own property then I would do it differently ie I would have built an elevated deck and gone the whole hog....

Mike

[bloodhound31]

Good stuff Mike! Can't wait to see the end result!

Baz.

[strongmanmike]

Clear here tonight (will drop to -2C tonight) so I just Polar Aligned the bolt pattern that will hold the metal pier :thumbsup: While standing on the North side of the bolt pattern template and using binoculars I sighted the SCP (I know exactly where it is to within a few arc min :D) then carefully panned down and had my son drive a star picket into the ground at that (true south) point some 40m from the footing. Now when I sink the bolt pattern into the wet concrete during the day, I can just point the arrow that I have drawn on the template board representing the polar axis of the NJP, at the Star picket - easy! :)

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Hey, nothing like yours mate! :lol:

I recon my scopes better though...hey lets swap :P :thumbsup:

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Yeh, he probably would too :rolleyes: :lol:...I do love your new SBIG btw, just jealous ;)

[Bassnut]

I don't know what a star picket is but sounds ugly, needs healing out altogether methinks.

[strongmanmike]

Poured the concrete for the pier footing (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/150070226/original) this morning, bolt pattern all levelled and polar aligned :thumbsup:

Should be all set and ready for use when I get back from SPSP :)

Mike

[SkyViking]

Hooray, congratulations Mike! That was about time wasn't it :D
I look forward to see the work in progress, and the completed setup.

[strongmanmike]

He he cheers Rolf, yeh and plenty of complaining later....bingo

:thumbsup:

[h0ughy]

nice to see Mike, though the concrete cow pat is a garden accessory ;)

[Ric]

I'm a bit worried as to what the cows are eating. :D

[strongmanmike]

Got back from SPSP and removed the form-work from the footing and tested out the pier....500kg of concrete below ground, 140kg of Russian gymnast :question: above ground - seemed pretty sturdy :P

Mike

[h0ughy]

Hey Mike , Tania says that it looks like a statue of JC:rofl: personally i am just glad you didnt wear a kilt in the shot;)

the second thing she said was is it a statue to ward of evil spirits:lol:

[RickS]

Doesn't look like it wards off clouds :D

[strongmanmike]

Yeh, a lunatic gargoyle :whistle:

[SkyViking]

Lol Mike! To build an observatory is one thing - but doing it with such effortless grace as you display here is something we mere mortals can only dream of :lol:

[alistairsam]

well said Rolf, he makes it look so easy, that includes the gymnastics!
being a rental property, how did it go with the landlord and what would you do with the 500kg of concrete if and when you leave?
cheers
Alistair

[Steffen]

Do you have to ask? He picks it up and puts it on the back of the ute, of course :lol::lol::lol:

Cheers
Steffen.

[Hans Tucker]

Not a problem if you get an Astrohaven Clamshell Observatory

[strongmanmike]

Ahh grace....? :question: :lol:



Asked the landlords for permission to lay a slab and since the dome goes when we leave, just leaving a nice 2.5m circular pad behind for a water tank, garden chairs patio, what ever, they said ok. It is located away from the house and somewhat out of sight and I will do a neat job plus it is a rural 200 acre property after all with an old site shed, stable and crude paved areas and crappy poor concrete laid in the past for horse stable areas etc by the previous tenants and owners, so it's not like a residential property I guess :thumbsup:



Not likely these days, maybe 10 years ago (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/61611935/original) :question: :lol:



They do look awesome...but I question their effectiveness in a stiff breeze, I think a dome offers more protection in that instance as well as warding off dew and ice more effectively..?

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Never done slab form-work before, so hey, thought I'd start with a circular
slab juuust to test our skills. It's a 2.6m diameter circle for a 2.3m Sirius
Observatory so there will only be a 6" strip of concrete around the base of the
building to minimise the amount of thermal mass exposed to the sun.

Slab ready for concrete (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/150249788/original)

I will probably order the concrete for Wednesday, so hopefully I can erect the Sirius Observatory next weekend 25/26 May.? :thumbsup:

Mike

[bert]

You really should put plastic under the slab, or you are going to have big moisture issues.

[Kunama]

+1 on the plastic underneath. Also you could remove the formwork around the pier base and replace it with self adhesive ableflex instead saves having to mastic the gap later. albeflex is a closed cell foam with adhesive on one side and a 10mm perforated strip on the top edge. after the concrete has set you remove the 10mm strip off the top and then apply a sealant mastic to just that 10x10mm gap.

[strongmanmike]

Yeh, I considered that but a friend who does concreting thought it unnecessary for such a small job...but you may be right :question: wouldn't be hard to add it....thanks Brett, leave it with me :thumbsup:

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Cheers re the plastic, probably will do that :question:

I considered able flex too but couldn't find the right width to match the 110mm slab :shrug:...so I decided to make it a completely empty space = no way for the main slab to touch the pier footing..? Whad-a-ya recon?

Mike

[Joshua Bunn]

I used some left over Styrofoam from the observatory materials and cut it to to the width and height of my pier base, placed it around it and taped it there. It now stays there. Fills the gap and doesnt transmit any vibrations. It was about 20mm thick.

Josh

[Kunama]

As long as you can still get the formwork out after the pour. In this case I would fill the void with polyurethane foam (just like the foam used in foam mattresses) strips from Clark's Rubber in newcastle street F/wick. Set the foam down so it is about 5 to 10mm below top of concrete then on top of that you run a bead of flexible sealant to water proof the join. That way you have a sealed join but vibrations won't be transferred to the pier. (this system is used in buildings where concrete panels abut each other).

[Paul Haese]

Agree with the plastic and foam, it will make it easier for stripping etc. Just also have you offset the centre of the pier to the slit opening? You said you have about 200mm so you could offset later if you like.

[strongmanmike]

Actually that's a good idea :question:... what's the life of styrofoam?



Cheers Matt, this was my exact plan and I may stay on this path but lay the plastic :thumbsup: cheers



Yes, plastic it is :thumbsup: what do you mean by stripping?
Why would I need an offset, I have a GEM isn't that centralised..?

Mike

[Joshua Bunn]

I think Paul means when you point your scope at the zenith without an offset, you will be looking at the inside of the dome. So offset it a little so you can see through the slit. You said you had 6 inch's on the outside to do that.

Styrofoam - lasts for ages, its not readily biodegradable.

Josh

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Josh...a good idea re the foam, it is rigid too so will stay in place for the pour easily.. I will consider that.

Off set huh..? Hmmm? wouldn't I just rotate the dome...? :shrug:

Mike

[Joshua Bunn]

Hey Mike,

I even left my foam in, it seems OK, It will be really hard to get out after a pour.

If you rotate your dome, you will still not be able to see through the zenith, rotating won help move it out the way, the slit has to go past the zenith point of your scope :thumbsup:

Josh

[strongmanmike]

The dome slit does go past the the zenith on the Sirius domes..? So I just can't see the problem...am I missing something :shrug:

Mike

[Joshua Bunn]

Guess there no issue then :D... hope Paul didnt mean something else..:rolleyes:

[Bassnut]

That's an interesting problem. Thinking of the OTA pointing as it reaches the zenith (not from experience). As Mike says, it doesn't matter how much the offset is, theres always a dome slot rotational spot the OTA can peer through, but the more the offset the more radical the rotation becomes as the zenith is approached.

Id say the pier should be in the middle because if say you have an offset to cover the mount leaning hard east, then its way out if its west before a flip.

That might be wrong, its a head spin.

[naskies]

I have no experience with domes or automation... but out of curiosity, how does the typical dome automation software handle this?

[Kunama]

Polystyrene does the job equally , if you do want to get it 'out' just pour some acetone on it, it will dissolve like sugar in hot water.

'Stripping' just means removing the formwork after the 'crete has set.

I would also bang a few more pegs in around the perimeter, halving the distance you have at the moment as the board seems quite thin.

[bert]

The shutter goes past the zenith a far way in manual shutter. In the auto shutters they do not go as far back.

I think the poster was confused about having an offset when using a fork mount or using a pod type dome with obstructed zenith. With a gem stick it in the middle of the dome. There is a formula for where the declination meets the ra axis as the centre point of the dome... I can't remember where I read it...

[strongmanmike]

Yeh mine is good'ol manual, I had one before (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/observatorygeneral) and yes the pier was off set for my Meade SCT on fork mount but with my NJP mount I am pretty sure I will be ok with a centred pier :thumbsup:

Mike

[Paul Haese]

I meant stripping out the formwork around the pier. :)

Was thinking it was necessary to have an offset to see the sky at the zenith. I did not know that the dome would already allow for that. Happy to be corrected.

[marc4darkskies]

Yep, pier for a GEM should be in the centre - dome slit goes past zenith. The necessary dome movements as you get to the zenith do get more radical though ... this depends on the geometry/offsets of the mount + scope combo and offsets with respect to the dome.

Cheers, Marcus

[ChrisM]

Mike, I placed a square of 50 mm thick high density foam (from Clark Rubber, and with a circular cutout for the pier)) on top of my pier foundation block prior to pouring the 100 mm thick slab. I did a test before I bought the foam to ensure that the weight of the concrete would not compress the foam.

The foam is there for keeps, and doesn't achieve quite 100% mechanical isolation but it's still pretty good - probably ~90%.

Regarding offsetting the pier, I agree with your thinking that you would just rotate the dome until the opening is above the scope. I offset my pier about 250 mm North because I had a fork-mounted scope originally. Even with that offset and now a much larger scope on a GEM, I can still always find a dome position to get a full look, although as Fred said, there are some pretty radical angles involved!

Chris

[strongmanmike]

Ok, added the plastic to the base of the form-work...bit windy today (shock horror! :rolleyes:) so made it a bit tricky to get it down :lol:...will trim the plastic a bit more closer to the pour and remember to take out all the weights :thumbsup:..hopefully that day won't be too windy :help:

Thanks for all the tips boys :thumbsup:

Chris, not sure what you mean actually..? You put the rubber "on top" of the pier base? Don't get it :question:

Mike

[ChrisM]

Mike - Unlike your pier foundation, mine was a large concrete block with its top below the circular slab level. There is a tall concrete pier on top of the concrete block, and the high density foam was placed on top of the block (with a cutout for the concrete pier) so that the circular slab, which was poured later, did not rest on the pier block. I will post a picture of the foam in situ when I find one. In retrospect, I think that your design is better in that you have less surfaces to mechanically isolate between the building and pier.

Post #7 shows some general pics of the pier/slab http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=36222&page=4

Chris

[rogerg]

Congrats on the great progress Mike :thumbsup: I got a good laugh out of the "idiot on the pier" shot :)

[allan gould]

I placed my pier in the exact center of the dome as I have a GEM mount. The slit for the dome opens past the zenith and if you automate the dome and measure everything correctly then when you automate the dome rotation ( not the slit automation) then its a real joy to watch the dome track the scope and it goes perfectly across the meridian. I bit of a laugh as it does a meridian flip but tracks it perfectly. If you do automate the dome then remember to get an ATEN serial to USB connector for the electronics as that's the only one that works -good old yanks (Maxdome) have yet to make it USB.
Allan

[strongmanmike]

\

No Automation planned at this stage Allan...but I guess you never know :question:

Mike

[strongmanmike]

It's the night before the concrete arrives, all is ready and weather looks favourable for tomorrow....first concrete slab I have ever attempted (and I am even 1/2 Italian!!) so fingers crossed I get it right :prey:

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Gotta have some fun and not take life tooooo seriously...

:P

[strongmanmike]

Yep, I am now a concrete officionardo Bellisimo! :D

Took the afternoon off work and Riley and I did the Italian thing....

I remembered that we have a few kangaroos that come in around our house at night and I forgot to plan for this bit :doh:...so a very rudimentary barrier will hopefully deter them :prey:

Mike

[Joshua Bunn]

lookin good Mike. dont let it bake too much in the sun, keep it wet for a few days to cure slowly. :thumbsup:

Josh

[strongmanmike]

It is pretty cold here at the moment, near zero over night and around 15C during the day..?

How and when would you suggest I start wetting it? It's still soft so I was going to wait until it was hard enough not to get water drop marks ie tomorrow morning, or is that too late?

Not a 100% Italian yet...

Mike

[Joshua Bunn]

use a hose, or even a small sprinkler. when it dries out wet it again. Its not super critical, just to prevent it drying out too fast. tomorrow isnt to late, do make sure the concrete has gone off though - dont want to get onto it to early.

Josh

[Paul Haese]

Yes tomorrow morning is right for the first wet down. If you can keep it green for two days and use some plastic over the top of the water if you can. It will help prevent cracking. Strip the form on the third day and keep it a little wet for the next day or so after that.

[BC]

Hello Mike,

Just a thought, we did a basketball area a couple of years ago at this time of year. We covered it with some plastic and old blankets to prevent any water component freezing before it cures properly. It sounds a bit excessive and may be rubbish but it is forecast for -1 tonight; probably even less out of town.

BTW, I'm really enjoying watching the process and suggestions as I'm planning a ROR obs at the moment, and thus far it's a pretty similar process (except for the shape of the slab!)

Cheers,
Bruce

[strongmanmike]

Cheers guys

Shivers, I have to get up at 5am (6.30am start) and it will be close to freezing then (if not below) I might be able to get Riley to wet it later in the morning around 11am (when he gets up - he works late) will that do? :question: It is predicted to rain after that anyway.

Mike

[Paul Haese]

Yeah later in the day is fine. Main thing is to start while the slab is green.

Bruce I has thought of the ice too. Certainly worth putting on some plastic tonight and a blanket over the top.

[strongmanmike]

Wouldn't the plastic and blanket mark the concrete?

[Joshua Bunn]

No, it should have gone off enough by then.

[strongmanmike]

Ok the concrete went in about 1.30pm and the slab was finished around 3pm, so how soon could I expect to be able to lay stuff on its surface without fear of leaving marks or divots..? The current temp is about 10C

[BC]

Hmm, good question. I'd leave a couple of hours it until it gets down closer to zero to avoid marking it, but happy for other's opinions, I'm no expert at this.

Bruce

[Joshua Bunn]

well it depends on how wet the concrete was to start with. it looks like your concrete was pretty hard. relatively dry concrete will be hard enough around 2-3 hrs after finishing to lay just some plastic and wat not on top of.
Give it a test with your finger and be carefull with the plastic if you think its still a little wet.

Josh

[Paul Haese]

It will set in an hour or two after first pouring. Just try to put your finger into the surface near the edge ever half an hour or so past 2.5 hours from pour. Do it lightly and when it feels very stiff it will be set enough. What time did you pour the concrete?

[Paul Haese]

Ah just read the reply you made about time. By around 730pm it should be fine. You can cover it then with plastic.

[strongmanmike]

Ok, we are going out to dinner but should be home around 9 or 10 pm'ish, that will be about 6hrs or so after finishing the slab and the temp will likely be in low single digits by then, so I will check the firmness and lay some plastic and a blanket over it...should deter the kangaroos a bit more too :)

Cheers boys appreciated :thumbsup:

[Tandum]

Did you isolate the pier from the slab with an expansion joint (http://www.builderbill-diy-help.com/concrete-expansion-joints.html) Mike?

[edit]
Ahh yes, I see it now.

[strongmanmike]

All went well and yes all good Robin :thumbsup:

Observatory goes up this weekend... weather looks to be 100% clear all weekend too :)

Mike

[Paul Haese]

Looks good Mike. You can strip the outer formwork now too.

[h0ughy]

looks good - so is this where the picnic table goes in the garden?

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Paul, will do that tomorrow arvo :thumbsup:

Houghy, well that will be the line when we leave it behind :)..I will grind the bolts off and the gap will be filled with foam and silicone anyway so it will be a nice level round patio, perfect for a small table and chairs for the next tenants and the view (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/145509157/original) is nice from there.

The cost of the non transportable bits and pieces ie concrete, new tools, other materials etc of the observatory has totalled about $700, so if we are here say another 18 months and say I get 2 images per month on average now, then that's about $20/image so it will have been worth it :)

Mike

[Larryp]

Looks like all is going well, Mike!

[strongmanmike]

Yes, so far so good Laurie :)

[Joshua Bunn]

I see you left your mark it it too Mike.:D

Josh

[strongmanmike]

Yeh, always like to do that :)

[Ric]

Nice work on the slab Mike.

Concreting is in the blood for us Italians. :thumbsup:

As my dear old Dad used to say "If you want grass, lay a slab and paint it green" :lol:

Don't forget a statue of David, no yard or paddock is complete without one. (yep there's one at our place) :D

[Steffen]

Did you miss it? It's right there (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=139140) :lol:

Cheers
Steffen.

[strongmanmike]

Form-work removed (quite level and no cracks, yay!) and all ready for Sundays Observatory Erection Party :jump:

Mike
I'm now a full Italian

[jase]

Great progress Mike. Make sure you align the top of each wall panel of the sirius observatory to near perfection. You may need to use spacers where the walls meet the concrete to achieve this. Failure to do so will cause dome rotation problems.

[RobF]

I don't think you've used big enough bolts to hold the pier down Mike. :question: :P

Seriously, its really coming together for you. Hope this weekend goes to plan, and hope you end up with more than 18months of shots from those beautiful skies.

[strongmanmike]

Well the dome set up went largely without a hitch :thumbsup:

Used self tapping concrete bolts to anchor the panels, these are pretty cool and can be easily removed when the time comes

Tomorrow I will fix up a few lose ends and give her a good clean inside and out, fill in the pier footing to slab gap, lay the rubber floor and put in the scope :thumbsup:.

This dome was purchased new by its previous owner about 20 years ago. Sadly he was
killed in a tragic glider hanger accident several years ago, so in honour of him I
have called my Observatory dome "Joe"

Rest In Peace Joe, thank you, it will be put to good use.

[Larryp]

Looks great, Mike!

[marc4darkskies]

Onya Mike - way to go mate!! :thumbsup: Does it rotate easily?

Hmmm ... nice T-shirt :)

Cheers, Marcus

[strongmanmike]

Yeh rotation is quite good, sticks slightly at one point but not really an issue but I will have another look in daylight and see if I can get rid of it. Although the slab proved to be quite level, I think the panels may be able to be adjusted up or down a tad by shimming them but I will see. The shutter works perfectly though and all the seals looked good too.

I wore that T-shirt specially for Gail :)

Mike

[RobF]

Looks to be a lot of debris still lying around Mike.
If you want me to come down and get rid of that big thing with the black plastic bag over would be happy to help? :driving:

[strongmanmike]

He he, yeh I built in an elevation capability there in case I ever mount a scope that needs to be lifted slightly higher :thumbsup:

Mike

[h0ughy]

great effort and result Mike - who was the hired help? is there gear in there now?

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Houghy

My mates Attila and Paul and Attila's father in law Graham.

Gear will go in during the week, a couple of cosmetic things to do first

Mike

[niharika]

Can't wait to see the first light! how is the weather looking Mike? I found that these domes look almost new once you give them a good clean.

[avandonk]

It all looks very good to me Mike. Why do I have this feeling that the last images are of highly evolved 'Gorillas in the mist' erecting their domed observatory? :)

Looking foward to seeing images without the wind effects.

Bert

[naskies]

Looks great, Mike! Good luck for first light in the obs.

[batema]

I love the look of the slab, the pier and the dome and especially the location. For someone who lives in suburbia I am very envious of your location. Enjoy and I look forward to more amazing images of the night sky. To be able to go out and turn on a switch and start imaging is something I dream of. Have fun and I can not wait to see that big scope in there.

Mark

[strongmanmike]

I had to fiddle with the elevation of the panels (glad I used self tapping bolts!!) as the dome was bending ever so slightly at points, enough to mean the roll over shutter could come off its rails when the dome was at at certain points :doh: pretty much fixed now....

Funny Bert, my mate Paul said the same thing when I was getting them all to line up for the photo :lol:

Cheers Mark, so far it has come together ok.... :prey:

Yes will be giving it a good clean one afternoon this week :thumbsup:

Mike

[astronobob]

Nice going Mike and yo mates, Let the good times roll , , your roof :thumbsup:

[LewisM]

Are you sure you will fit in there with a scope Mike? I dunno... might need the Jenny Craig Astronomer's Diet :)

(I can speak... sheesh... I think I could be YOUR personal wind break)

[DJT]

Great thread on the obs and a nice touch calling it Joe.

Looking forward to your next set of images. Lets see what happens when you get to Obsy conditions..gawd help us..

[strongmanmike]

Cheers boys, it's quite exciting

After sealing around the base yesterday, I put the mount and scope in this afternoon and polar aligned when it got dark. Because the inside of the dome is nice and dark I could see the pole stars beautifully through the very accurate Tak polar scope, I am quite confident of arc min alignment accuracy :thumbsup:

Been a little over a month since turning soil and FINALLY complaining old Mike Sidonio has an observatory again and is out'a the bloody wind! :drink:

Imaging comes next :D

Mike
Gotta clean her though...

[h0ughy]

looks nice n sexy Mike :rofl:

make sure you seal the dome joints on the outside to stop leaks. and for the record i fully believe the arc min manual alignment sidonio style;):thumbsup: its awesome:D:)

[strongmanmike]

Was thinking about that but thought the foam rubber seals between the panels looked ok :question:...maybe worth it just to be sure.

...you ever doubted me..? :shrug: bah yey of little faith :lol:

[SkyViking]

It looks like a great setup Mike, congratulations! You won't be looking back now. :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Yay I am imaging, got everything remounted, aligned and working. So far, compared to being setup outside, the seeing doesn't seem to be affected by being in a dome. I have to be mindful moving around inside so as not to bump anything but there is adequate room...grabbed a few Ha subs on NGC 6164 to compare with what I got in Newcastle for my Fighting Dragons and it is clear I am in a much better environment now :2thumbs:

To start with I have setup with the familiar FLI image train as before, just to iron out any issues that may arise from being in a cramped dome but soon I will fit the little Starlight express with off axis guider.

Jumping up and down on the slab is not visible on the imaging screen and a hard thump on the pier settles on the screen an a couple of second! It's so good, packing up will be a breeze....let the new journey begin, in an observatory :clap:

Mike
Still need to wash her though...

[h0ughy]

awesome Mike - its a whole new world in the dome ;)

[Steffen]

Looking great, I wish I had space for something like that.

So, you've moved out of the house then? ;)

Cheers
Steffen.

[strongmanmike]

Ha ha Steffen, yeh, actually my wife came out for a look before she went to bed and was quite impressed and surprised, she asked if she would ever see me again and I said nup! ;)

Doesn't matter how good the observatory is it doesn't stop the bloody cloud it would seem :mad2:....So first light for the new Wallaroo Observatory looks to have bagged me an Olsen'esque amount of data..err...4 X 5min Ha exposures :rolleyes:

Oh well, still feels good :thumbsup:

Mike

[h0ughy]

i sympathise Mike - it is cloudy here and though i can see only the bright stars in holes for some reason they keep hiding. maybe tomorrow evening

[marc4darkskies]

Woo hoo!! That's great Mike!!:2thumbs: Here's to never having to set up & tear down again!!:cheers:. Now, get that dome rotation kit and a wifi connection so you can image from the comfort of home while watching astronomy documentaries on foxtel! :D

Cheers, Marcus

[strongmanmike]

Yes would be nice, in the meantime I will enjoy being out of the wind and less dew :thumbsup:

Mike

[cybereye]

Mike,

That looks amazing!! I can just see it now, a cold Canberra night, the red glow coming from within the observatory and the dulcet tones of Pavarotti wafting across the valleys.... :thumbsup:

Cheers,
Mario

[h0ughy]

have you had a dusting of snow yet mike?

[strongmanmike]

Fuuuunny you should say that...only t'was not Pav :whistle: :D



No snow, actually been quite mild for Canberra so far this year, lots of fog and more cloud than I would like :mad2:

Mike

[Ric]

Ah that would explain the sudden influx of Eastern Grey Kangaroos over on my side.

They are looking for a bit of peace & quiet. :rofl: :rofl:

[strongmanmike]

Actually there are plenty here, this was taken this morning...oh and they love opera :P

[Ric]

He's a big beggar.

Looks like he's been using your weights. ;)

[strongmanmike]

:lol:...well I don't use them, so he's in clearly much better shape than I :)

[bloodhound31]

Way to go Mike! I bet it's nice and dark up there too!

[strongmanmike]

High winds here today, yikes :eyepop:

Being in a rather exposed location (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/151288349/original) on the property... will be a test for the new Observatory so will see if those 6 X 400kg hold self tapping concrete bolts hold :prey:

Currently at Wallaroo Observatory 20 July @ 3.15pm
Wind speeds: ~40km/h gusting to 58.3km/h
Temp: +3C
Wind chill: -6C
Rain & some hail

Mike

[h0ughy]

Mike - did you have hold down connections inside the observatory for the dome http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=70699

[strongmanmike]

No but I think I will.

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Observatory made it through the wild night :prey: :thumbsup:

Mike

[Kunama]

Was it a bit windy there Mike? We had gusts of 115kmh last night!

[Joshua Bunn]

Good one mate.

I can empathize with you Mike, last thing i think about when i go to bed and first thing that's on my mind when i wake is my obs. on a windy night, not that i really have anything to be concerned over.

Josh

[TimberLand]

Nice work, seeing others get the right stuff in the right places and time to do the right thing, keep me motivated.