Well I have finally managed to install my new observatory on my hardwood decking and get all the optics and electrics installed. The name would be obvious to anyone in Brisbane due to the weather we have had here over the last few weeks.
I chose to go with a cement pier reinforced with reo and an outside skin of PVC. The reason for this was that I had previously built such a pier in Victoria and found it to be excellent in performance. I went with power being supplied to the observatory through an extension cord as I was worried by the amount of electrical storms here in Brisbane.
I ordered 2 bays with the observatory and I have yet to kit them out properly but one holds the laptop while the other holds odds and ends as well as some books. The one thing that Im really happy with is the flooring. On top of the hardwood planks I installed a layer of insect screening and over the top of that rubberised matting that has holes in it. The observatory "breathes"well with no moisture build up from all the rain we have been having and all my excess cabling goes under the matting to keep from foot tangles, but is easily accessible. Its also easy to clean or vacuum up any debris I bring in. I have attached a few photos to show its current state but I still have to install the storm cleats and grease the tracks. The solar lighting has bee installed.
Thanks for the kind comments Al and John. This has been a while in the planning but so glad it's finally done. Now if only the cloud, rain and moon would sod off for one night I'll be in nirvana. Just figuring out how to do the storm cleats and then it will be finished.
Looks awesome, Allan! Gotta be happy with that! Bit too neat inside for my liking, though. Could you cram it full of more leads to trip over, books and paperwork everywhere, maybe some empty Coke or beer cans on the floor? Thanks.
Ron, Troy, David, Marcus, Alan, Peter and Adam.
Thanks for the kind words.
They should not have bothered with putting in water tanks to break the drought - just give us all observatories.
I admit I pinched ideas from David, Marcus and JohnG as I really liked the setups they had done and so blatantly copied what I could. Thought the Croc Lock was ideal but we have 2 dogs that would raise absolute stink if anyone came round. One would lick you to death while the other would take your foot off - and I'm not about to say which is which.
The Tempest Observatory was a 10 year idea that finally crystalised when I decided I was going to retire ths year and could make good use of it after doing some preliminary shots using narrowband filters from the BrisVegas suburbs and convinced myself what could be done and I would get the images I wanted.
Now no excuses for not doing 5 hr exposures on a single object, weather permitting.
The neighbours reactions were great. One said that you realise that now most of them think Im some sort of spy while the others were creeping around for seruptitious glances at this strange thing Id erected in the backyard.
Nice looking setup Allan. I recently visited a friend in Brisbane and he had a 3m dome of the same manufacturer. It looks really nice inside and the slit mechanism is excellent.
Well done Allan. You will enjoy the permanent setup I am sure.
Thanks Paul. I was able to get outside last night chasing sucker holes and trying to see how well I could guide with the hypertuned eq6 and the new setup in the observatory. I managed to get 5x4 min shots of M66 at about 12:00 pm last night. Was very pleased as I used the DSI II and was guiding with PhD at native fl of 2500 with my 10"SCT. Stars were nice and round with an OSC of .35 according to PhD. I thought tihis would be an extreme situation for any errors in the guiding but all was well. The pier is excellent in the observatory as while bumbling around in the dark I tripped over a small stool I used at the computer and fell on the floor but there was no jiggling of the scope/camera.
In relation to David's Dog House Observatory, I managed to get Internet connection etc without all the cabling by setting up a wifi that does the whole house and out to the observatory at the back. Works nice.
Allan, I'm really happy for you and all that, but you've really doomed us weather-wise at the moment. Is there something in the observatory you can unplug or break to give the rest of us a chance for a bit? Thanks.
In relation to David's Dog House Observatory, I managed to get Internet connection etc without all the cabling by setting up a wifi that does the whole house and out to the observatory at the back. Works nice.
Yeah I use wireless in my obs too... for both my computers (capture and guidance). Sounds technical doesn't it?
Troy, just for you I'm taking the scope out of the Obs so that the weather can calm down, but the forcast is really, really heavy rain in the next few days so thats a bummer. I had a look at the 4min shots of M66 which was NO award winner except that the galaxy filled almost the full frame and each 4 min shot had perfectly round stars which I was ecstatic about. Since I did 5x4 min thats at least 2 worm cycles and thus the hypertune was great and worth doing - but purchasing the kit was definately not worth the money.
Al, wireless is really great and I spent a few moments tidying up my cables (are you listening David?????) to that they are all on the pier with nothing loose or trailing. I also made sure that there was no cross-interference to the guidescope camera or imaging camera cables and now everything is out of sight and tucked away. I'll post photos later.
looks too neat lol
