I am starting this thread to showcase the construction of Starlight Observatory. I will update this thread everytime some progress is made with hopefully with some images. Progress will be quite slow due to other commitments but no matter how long it will take, an observatory will be born.
After a couple of weeks of drawing plans and deciding exactly what I want, we have finally started construction. The Observatory will be based on SkyShed plans that will be raised off the ground. The dimensions will be 3.8m x 2.4m. It will have a 1.4m warm room and 2.4m cold room. It will house my C8 + guidescope and EQ6 Pro on a concrete pier.
It will have a fairly open sky with great views to the South and East. The West and North are slightly obstructed but not enough to complain about. The skies at night are quite dark when there is no Moon so everything is ready to go.
The one thing that I am really looking forward to is that I will not have to continuiously setup and packup the equipment every observing or imaging session. I can't wait.
Today we started to dig the hole for the pier. We have dug it to a depth of 80cm even though we originally planned to make it 1m. The pier will be reinforced with steel and once it has been put in place. It is not going to move.
Looking good Matt, It also looks like a nice sheltered spot as well.
I did notice a sudden build up in clouds this morning to the West around 7:00 am, was that you getting an early start?
I was checking out a few sites on my property today as well.
Cheers and looking forward to further updates.
Thanks Ric,
Yes, me too. I remember looking out the window when I woke up and it was nice and clear. Then suddenly when going outside about 15 minutes later, A few large clouds started to hover over from the West.
Have you thought about putting in a few conduits before you pour
the slab so you can have some if not all your cables coming up into
the centre slab to avoid cables on the floor?
Have you thought about putting in a few conduits before you pour
the slab so you can have some if not all your cables coming up into
the centre slab to avoid cables on the floor?
regards,
Steve B.
Yes, I am planning to put some conduits down the centre of the pier to avoid thousands of cables all over the floor.
Yeah, Conduits are a good plan.... I'd want a pair USB leads from where ever the computer will be to the pier, power from where-ever its coming from to the base of the pier (get one of those 1->4 distrobution blocks)..
And as always.. AC power away from data... DC power is not so much of a problem... (take a usb lead for example, DC power and data in ONE LEAD!)
You don't necessarily have to have them come up into the pier
itself, just right next to it.
If you brought them up the pier and had the top blanked off with
a welded plate etc, I couldn't picture a way of bringing them
out of the pier that wouldn't weaken the pier itself....holes etc.
I used PVC circular 1 way and 2 way boxes and linked them all
to the outside wall of the observatory. Other spare conduits are
short stubs close to the tripod.
You just can never have enough conduits
Now is the time to put em in!
Pic attached.
On ya Matt,
I collected all the bits to make my pier then broke my foot. I'm in a cast and on crutches for 6 weeks and everything stops. I can't even carry a beer
insulating the warm room would do.... I dont think you want to insulate the scope.... otherwise you'll suffer longer cool down times.... and also, things that are warm and made of metal attract dew when exposed to the cold air...
