View Single Post
  #68  
Old 22-06-2021, 10:49 PM
strongmanmike's Avatar
strongmanmike (Michael)
Highest Observatory in Oz

strongmanmike is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Canberra
Posts: 17,152
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Haese View Post
An interesting and promising adventure for you Mike, I am sure it will produce lots of happiness for you both.

A friend and I have just purchased a 63kwh battery system and 5.5kw solar panel system for $29K for our imaging business project at Swan Reach. It will provide 3 days of power without charge, though we will be installing a 11KVA back up generator too, so power will never be an issue. If that sounds ok, let me know and I will put you in contact with the guy I am going through. I believe we can supply anywhere in Australia.

You will certainly get great seeing there regularly and the skies will be darker than you are accustomed to for sure. I look forward to the results you obtain and I am certain those results will be excellent (sky colour aside ). It is certainly an astrophotographers dream to image at altitude, anyone who says they wouldn't is just not telling the truth.

One thing that would concern me though is fire risk in the area. Last years fires I believe are just a sign of things to come and your pictures would have me scared silly with the fire risk ( love the Australian bush and I have spent years in it, so I am not a hater). Living in the Adelaide hills is bad enough with three exit points, but your location looks like a whole different kettle of fish to me. Is there a strategy there? (sorry if this has been discussed. I don't have time to read all four pages.)
Thanks Paul, appreciated, I am right now in the process of negotiating a good solar system upgrade for our site (sufficient to power the house, future extension and observatory)

As far as fire goes...well..that's what insurance is for, it's as simple as that for me... Of course I will institute some fire retarding mitigation approaches none the less

Mike
Reply With Quote