Permanent Observatory

[EzyStyles]

Hi Guys,

I was wondering how many people do infact have permanent observatories. I'm thinking of building a simple shed myself to save sometime carrying and setting up my equipment. It is such a hassle especially with heaps of cables and i do infact get abit lazy at times even though my commitment towards astrowork is 200%. And plenty of times after when you setup your equipment expecting a good night the clouds comes and ruin your night.. geeee's don't you hate that?

I have attached a pic what i have to setup every imaging session . Sitting on that blue plastic chair in the Melbourne cold isn't much fun either.

[RAJAH235]

Well, I don't actually have to carry my gear very far. Just drive the car to the site, open the tailgate, take the dob base out & put the tube on. Then, if I decide to use the Magellan 1's, I assemble them, (if dark enough, will align etc) & after that, I grab my chair, thermos n bikkies & go for a chat n cuppa, while it all cools down. It's great to watch & kibbitz while the other guys take ages to set-up all their 'hitech' stuff. (J/K):P
:D L.

[g__day]

I'm in the process of building one right now. After completing my pier I build the walls to a 2.4 m sq by 2.1 metre high dwelling, and have just made the rotating base ring for the roof (which swivels well) and have started adding ribs to the roof. I hope to have it finished with about 2-3 days work. Then the next step is to motorise the dome's turning to synchronise with the scope!

I'll post some piccys once its done if folk are interested.

[Striker]

Best thing I ever did build my observatory....even though it's in the Brisbane suburbs it was well worth the time and efort I put into it....if I was only into visual observing then I wouldn't worry about it too much..I would just buy a big dob and put it on wheel's...but if I had to set up all my imaging equipment every time I wanted to use it then I'm afraid it would not get used very often.

As it is now I can be set up ready to go roll off the roof and start imaging within 2 minutes....and about the same time to shut it all down and close the roof.

[mickoking]

I don't have an observatory but it would be nice. My scopes are stored in the sleepout next to the backdoor just a couple of metres from where I observe so it is not a drama to set up for a nights viewing.

[janoskiss]

Eric, is that my old 4.5" Dork Smith Newt you're using as a guidescope? :rofl:
Yes, build the observatory! Your setup certainly looks like it needs a permanent home. :)

[EzyStyles]

Cheers guys thanks for the reply. I guess imaging guys will need an observatory while observers don't really need one? :shrug: Takes me a good hour or more just to setup the entire thing :(

Hey welcome back Steve. didn't know your back. hehe yeah that is your 4 inch newt. It was my guidescope until i got a 80mm replacement :P

[ving]

wouldnt say that eric. observers need an observatory (hence the name) just as much as an imager! all the benefits are the same after all. unfortunately i dont have one so i am in the same position as you having to set up... but not 1 hours worth :)
in order
set up table for computer
extension cord from laundry to table
lappy bought out and set up
mount bought out
weights put on mount
telescope put on mount
ballance scope
set up 2 chairs( one at lappy and high chair at scope
bring out and eyepieces to be used and or plug in lpi

thats it, pretty simple.

[rmcpb]

If I had that much stuff to set up I would hate setting it up and pulling it down each time and would probably observe a lot less. An observatory is necessary for you my friend :)

[Shawn]

Also building one myself at the moment, mines a 5 meter diameter geodesic a 4V 130 triangles that make up a tesalating hexagon pentagon half sphere..coming along nicely, will post pics soon...

[ballaratdragons]

I have always been a 'DOME' person. Not only because, to me, they look like observatories, but also because of the severe winters we have here. The protection given by only allowing a slot to open is appealing.

BUT!!!

I was out doing a final measure on my set-up 2 days ago to find out the minimum size dome I will need to build. The Diameter of scope movement with my 12" on the EQ is 8'4". Then I hopped up on the ladder to measure the height I would need.

Whilst doing this height measurement I said to myself "Now, when I am observing with the EP about here . . . hey, I don't observe with this set-up!" :doh:

It was then that I realised that I don't need a Dome as I spend all my time sitting in my little cubby house controlling everything, which keeps me out of the weather anyway. :thumbsup:

When I observe by eye I always use my Dob base! When the 12" is on the EQ it is for imaging.

I really have no need of a dome at all!!! As much as they look 'Observatoryish' I can happily :( do without.

So . . . the new decision is to make a comfortable room for the 'Mission Control' centre, and just a removable (or slide off) cover for the Mount & Scope.

All this is about to happen.

In my voting above I had to tick 'I don't have an observatory but planning to build one' only because with my current set-up I have to bring the scope inside. Mount, pooters, cables etc all stay outside. So I'm sort of half and half at the moment.

[Shawn]

Check out my DIY thread Ken...Triangles ARRRRGGHHH...always 3 sides to story..LOL

[Shawn]

Hey Ezy ,,,there is no little do hickey for "am building one" Im confused, need more beer...

[asimov]

For me observing out in the open is no problem, setting up is not a problem, taking AVI's of planets is no problem but long exposures ARE a problem if the scopes not housed to protect it from wind etc.

[Lester]

Guess I don't know how lucky I am. Had my observatory for 33 years, and used it more this year than the last 10 years put together. After getting a new scope, imaging gear and comming across IIS, meeting some nice people, the enthusiasm has had a new spark.

[ballaratdragons]

Now what am I supposed to do. Here I was about to NOT make a dome and you make me want one again :lol:

I realised I don't actually need one, but boy, would I love to have one :thumbsup:

Hmmmm, decisions decisions

[richardo]

Hi Eric, a perminent observatory is a must if you want to get out every clear night with minimum fuss and stress. To have it in your back yard is just another bonus. It all gets harder with setting up when you get seriously into say imaging.
Many times I've walked out to my observatory and setup, began imaging, walked inside the house to begin down loads, then discovered the guide star was total lost. Walk outside, not a star to be found... close the hatch, shut down, walk back inside the house and then walk outside again a little while later only to find the sky is full of stars.....:sad:
Do this with a whole swag of gear a few times and you'll be kicking the dog...:rundog:

When is a rainwater tank not a rainwater tank... ?
Here's a link to my observatory for the answer...
http://www.baytop-observatory.com/equipment/observatory.htm

Plus from the air it looks like a RWT so no council building fee.:thumbsup:

Cheers
Rich

[alan meehan]

I built my observatory at the begining of the year ,its just a garden shed with a slide off roof and it works like a bought one.its just so easy to go out at night and have everything ready to go in five minutes.at the moment I do not have power to the shed,and the hardest part is rolling out the power lead.In fact the roof is slid back now ,and i will be viewing shortly.

[Lester]

Welcome Rich,:welcome:

Its good to have another west coaster of S.A. in this forum.

That makes three of us now. Don't think I have missed anyone.

Like your set-up.

All the best.

[EzyStyles]

very interesting to see what kind of dome/observatory they have. Any pics? might get some idea on how to build one.

[Starkler]

If i were to ever have an observatory it would have to be a roll off roof type.
Why ?
For me half of the pleasure is being able to look up and enjoy natures dome, complete with all the little lights attached to it. Being under a man made artificial dome would kill a large part of the pleasure for me.

[richardo]

Hi Lester ,:thumbsup:
sorry for the slight OT Eric,
just saying thanks for the welcome and a howdy to a fellow West Coaster....
Gotta love it out here for our hobby/ obsession....

Cheers for now
Rich

[rogerg]

Went out to the country with my portable setup this weekend. Had a few problems with trackingand all the rest so didn't end up with any great photo's. Came back late in the day after solar viewing and that night spent 30 mins starting up the observatory to take images all night before leaving it to go to bed.

It was then I was reminded just how useful an observatory is and how extremely lucky I am to have one. 30mins of setup I get more results than an all-nighter with the portable setup.

Roger.

[bluescope]

I thought you used your 300D and 350D for imaging Eric ?

I have my 3x2.4metre shed but haven't converted it yet. I keep my EQ6 in it and power supply and just moved a computer in recently but it still has stuff stored in it ( sofa bed, boxes etc ).
Looking at using eltrak system for rolling roof off ... it's a system for sliding doors which should work a treat when I get around to it.
www.eltrak.com.au (http://www.eltrak.com.au)

In the mean time it's not too hard setting up and breaking down but am looking forward to permanent setup with good polar alignment etc.

cheers

:thumbsup:

[g__day]

I'll post some shots on the weekend, I'm still along way from motorising and encoding the roof to slave it to the mount!

To me a observatory and permanent pier are excellent. My set-up time is literally about 7 minutes to be ready for astrophotography - power on PC, check Windows date and time, open dome, remove lens caps, enter PC's date and time into hand controller, slave scope to the PC Cartes Du Ciel, turn on camera's, start remote shutter and PhD. Go to a star, calibrate guidescope on a star, snap a shot, check focus is okay and you're away.

All this from ultra cheapo gear (CG5) which is overloaded (probably to 15 - 17KGs) = amazing! My goto's (awaking from hiberate) generally place a star on the Canon 400D's chip, which blow me away.

All I really should do now is celestial align the mount a tad better and tune backlash a bit more. At present I reckon I'm about 15 - 20 arc minutes off celestial South.

[EzyStyles]

Hi Steve, this was an old post dugged out recently. I use to use the Meade DSI's . one for autoguiding and one for imaging. i stil use the dsi for autoguiding and the 300d modded for imaging. pior to the 300d, was the 350d unmodded which i still have now. :)
cheers for the roller door link. what a great idea for roll off roof!. i was thinking of just getting the outside shell and wack on a roll off roof thing? might have to investigate on this.. hmmm... i still carry and setup my equipment outside which takes wayy too long esp all the cables arghh.

[bluescope]

I thought you had changed from DSI, just checking ! ;)

I think the eltrak is a cool system because it is all purpose built and with the nylon wheels should work a treat. Also no worries with roof lifting because it all fits snug into the track. I've seen the components and it also would not weigh too much ..... the tracks come in 6 metre lengths .. perfect for a 3 metre shed with 1.5 metre sections rolling off to sides. My shed joins in the middle so I'll just use a couple of wing nuts to keep it tightly fit together when not in use.

:thumbsup:

[g__day]

Well yesterday I returned with the family from two frozen weeks at the Gold Coast. It was great to get back home.

So I open my observatory, power on the hibernated scope, it goes straight to Spica from CDC driving it. I re-attach the Canon 400D to it - it all still perfectly in focus, then I go inside run VNC and image Eta Carina, Scorpius and Omega for an few hours.

I finished around 11pm. It took about 5 minutes to go outside at the end of the night and power everything down. I noticed the temperature was just above 6 degrees inside the observatory!

Yah to do it yourself, remote viewing!

[thunderchildobs]

Pictures of the Thuderchild Obsevatory and some hintshttp://www.home.gil.com.au/~brdowns/build01.htmhttp://www.home.gil.com.au/~brdowns/build02.htmBrendan

[ispom]

in the middle of the picture you see the roll-off roof of my observatory :)

and in the foreground the shaddow of mine