Something in my shed - now my backyard

[AstroJunk]

I found this in my shed earlier - I don't know its name yet as it is very shy and wouldn't come out from behind SDM006 :D

(I have been very naughty, and raided my wife's savings - she says it would make a nice gazebo)

[astroron]

Nice collection there Johnathon:) Its a bit small for the SDM:P

[AstroJunk]

it's a shame that the dome opening is too small, otherwise I would have built it around the dob just for the fun of it :rofl:

[allan gould]

Love the new observatory but the electonics would be a far better fit on mine. Manual is the way to go! Don't be a wimp and settle for the easy life be like the rest of us and wonder where that guide star went as the shutter blocks it out.
Really nice Jonathan, Peter is impressed.

[AstroJunk]

I have to say that having a fully automated observatory is quite a luxury. When I manage to get a cable for the Meade, I'm going to make a video of the two slewing in harmony.

I've even had a 20m x 8m astro pad cut.

My logic was that it is easier to build the observatory at the same time as the new house as I can get the power/network etc installed. I am also linking the observatory to the home entertainment package so that the video cameras can be monitored from any TV in the house! Don't you just love technology :)

[bmitchell82]

jon, you have doomed all in your area.... I CAN SEE THE ASTROGODS have already sent in the "initial" strike force! :D hahahaha

[Adelastro1]

True technology would be to have everything communicate wirelessly! :lol:No more tripping over cables... I guess things are slowly getting to that stage though.

Oh! Another thought - buy a new 3D TV and use both scopes so you watch everything from your arm chair in 3D! Unfortunately you still have to wear the stupid looking glasses (ironically they're not much of an advancement in technology!). Imagine looking at Saturn in true 3D through your scopes from your lounge!

[h0ughy]

Mate you have a very large infestation of mushrooms in your shed, must be all that rain and humidity this summer

[AstroJunk]

Ah, the 'spent too much' Karma has just given me a dreadfull night of computer crashes, dew stuffed up observing :sadeyes:

Off to harvest that magic mushroom to cheer me up!

[jjjnettie]

Very nice Jonathan.
I have an observatory to give away that would fit the SDM.;)
If you're interested.

[AstroJunk]

oooh, how nice would that be, I have just the place to make a collection ...

[jjjnettie]

Once you put her in there though, I don't know how you'll get her out again. Without a crane. LOL
But where there's a will there's a way.

[sheeny]

They aren't the initial strike force... those are just recon clouds... you just wait!:eyepop:

:lol:

Very nice Jonathan!

Al.

[AstroJunk]

I had a productive afternoon getting the dome rotation working with my LX200:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJlctViV-BY

It works like a dream!

[peter_4059]

very nice Jonathan. Can't wait to see it all set up and running

[AstroJunk]

You're top of my list to help me lift it into place, so you will get to witness it's birth :thumbsup:

[h0ughy]

how much was the automation? Do you think it would be easy to retrofit an existing dome?

[AstroJunk]

Sit down, take a very deep breath, close your eyes, take a stiff drink.

You are looking at the cost of the dome again! (around 7K for those who haven't bought a dome recently) It doesn't sound so expensive if you have just bought a $50K 5m dome though...

It can be retrofitted I think (there are some sensor activator blocks built into the top shutter and I don't know if they are standard). It doesn't look overly difficult, but measure 10 times drill once. Even better, as the two halves are physically separate, so you could install the dome rotation without the shutter control and get 90% of the bang for half the cost.

When you look at the technology involved, and appreciate that these things have to be hand crafted the cost seems more reasonable. One day I hope to get the cloud/rain sensor to automatically shut the dome, but thats a further US3K

I might as well get into astrophotogtaphy if I want to throw my money away ;)

[h0ughy]

WOW,
um thanks johnathan - i saw a price for this system but it obviously that must only be the brains and not the hardware. I am not that lazy that i cant open everything up, but it is the rotation that i would like to follow the scope so i dont go out there every hour to move the dome.

[bmitchell82]

... your taunting the astrogods with testing in a confined space.! lucky the computer system didn't have a brain fart and slam it into the wall :S eek...

[Ric]

Very nice Jonathan

At first I thought it was a very small Obs until I realised that a 20" Dob.

Now it's all in perspective.

Cheers

[AstroJunk]

One stage closer today :D

I decided not to fully isolate the pier for a number of reasons. What you can't see is the 1m x 80cm x 30cm pier block to give it some mass. If I live to regret it, I will build another fundation a few meters to the right!

[jjjnettie]

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
:D Who's the happy chappy then!!

[allan gould]

Paint the top blue and it will look just like R2D2 on top of the hill from the distance (anyway thats what my wife said).
There is a down side to these observatories as some of my unkind neighbours and workmates have started calling me Kenny and asking if Im going to my "outhouse".
Either Im thin skinned or they are just gross and jealous morons vegetating in front of their plasma TVs.
Good luck with the pad and I hope the pier doesnt ring.

[gregbradley]

Nice one Jonathon.

I just did something similar with my observatory although I have 2 pads. One is for a permanent pier and is 1 metre deep x 800mm square the other is a 2 x 2m pad 140 thick for a portable pier.

I am using pavers for flooring so it will be isolated that way and is a simple flooring solution.

Greg.

[AstroJunk]

Thanks Greg, I'm building on clay, so I am hoping to spread the load a little with the pad and integral 'mass'. Time will tell ...

[AstroJunk]

:rofl:I can so see that hapening :lol: I haven't built the house yet, but all mine are worried about the nutter moving in...

[allan gould]

Just start wearing an alfoil hat with small antenae to keep out "the voices" - then they will leave you alone

[AstroJunk]

Thanks to my 'lifters' and support crew for help/beer/food. A fun afternoon was had by all.

Next week the scope goes in, hurrah!

[jjjnettie]

You'll have to change the topic of your thread to "something in my backyard".

[AstroJunk]

ooh, good point :lol:

moderator, :help:!

[h0ughy]

awesome!! nothing like that moment when it is crowned, the birth of something wonderful ;)

[h0ughy]

done - title ok?

[AstroJunk]

What a fine man :thumbsup:

[AstroJunk]

The scope is in :rofl: and I'm up and running. I'm so glad it's cloudy :sadeyes:

Thanks to my helpers who made it back a second week :thumbsup:

Most impressive is the Pier I had made to my specific needs from Pegasus Piers. It's a monster! Ron and Peter at Sirius Optics made sure there were plenty of willing helpers to lift it into my van - at around 120Kg, we needed 4!

The dodgy collage from 4 shots demonstrares what a beast it is - remember that's a 14"er on top.

All I need now is a thousand spare hours of tinker-time to get it all tuned in...

[peter_4059]

Looks great Jonathan - wish I could have been there. Can't wait to see it in action.

[jjjnettie]

Will there be an Observatory Warming??

[astroron]

Shouldn't it be called an AstroJunk Yard:question:, A very expensive one though;)
Looking very nice Johnathon:thumbsup:

[allan gould]

You really do believe big is better don't you Jonathan. But you will need such a pier for that scope of yours. I'll have to come down and see it all put together.

[AstroJunk]

:lol: How very appropriate - even more so that the block is very much a building site now!

It would certainly nice to have a grand-opening when the house build is under control:thumbsup:

[allan gould]

You also need to change the title again as it's now in your observatory.

[AstroJunk]

A quick update for Sirius Dome owners. I finally managed to tame my clutter this weekend with some very cheap shelving from Office Works. The 'pod' shelving is fantastic (Nevada 4 cube @ $34) and is a nice size to hold essentials.

The computer desk is from there too - just the right size to fit in to what is rapidly becoming an albino tardis :lol:

[mozzie]

you'll have to start a new thread johnathon when the new dome comes!!!!

[AstroJunk]

Something even bigger in my back yard:D

Fingers crossed I can find a buyer, otherwhise my upgraditis will have to stay on hold...

[allan gould]

You are such a bad boy Jonathon - hope you find a buyer. You should as its an exceptionally good price.
But for heavens sake stop buying things, I almost got washed away in the last downpour.