Everyone needs an Observatory because... - Page 2

BPO · #21 24-03-2015, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spinnaker

TWO Avondale's were discovered in my step-daughters bedroom a few months back. My ears are still ringing from the screams!

There are a few spiders up on the mountain but they're smaller than the grasshoppers. For most people the scariest thing around here is the isolation but it never bothers me. I'll take a lack of company over creepie-crawlies any day.

alistairsam · #22 25-03-2015, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glend

What a woman!

Second that.
Lucas should really post here, his wife arranged to have an Obsy made, delivered and installed for his Birthday without him knowing.
Got the surprise of his life when he got home with a new Obs sitting in the back..

You guys make me so jealous. I'm hoping to move into my own place in a year and an Obs is a major must have, and the wife doesn't know this but I'm narrowing down suburbs based on the Bortle sky rating... I may or may not win but hey I can try.

Alistair

scagman (John) · #23 25-03-2015, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattT

Lucky devil Glen...well done.

Hi John....bet there are lots of rules in VIctoria???? Or is it like a shed with a size limit.

Matt

Hi Matt,

I didn't ask.

I converted a no longer used concrete water. Just cut a doorway in and put a stronger roof on with 2 x 2.4m holes in the roof with 2 separate roll off sections. See this thread here for pics. http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=88784

Cheers

ZeroID (Brent) · #24 25-03-2015, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveInNZ

We're on the Avondale/Blockhouse Bay border but nobody told the spider that they shouldn't cross the road.

The wife is convinced that we need an observatory so stage 1 is completed.

Steve.

Ha !
All we need now is a third nearby and we've got a large aperture array !!

A 4 km baseline should get us a fair ways out

Excellent wife you have there, like mine. She reckons as long as it isn't (overly) dangerous or stupidly expensive I can do what I like. She just shouted me a drive round Hampton Downs Racetrack in a Lamborghini Murcielago for my birthday. Followed by a Hot Lap in an EVO X with a nutcase driver. Awesome !!

So pretty much a free hand then ..

SteveInNZ · #25 26-03-2015, 10:11 AM

Yeah, I'm pretty happy with her. We have a philosophy of trying to make each others lives as pleasant as we can. Marriage isn't meant to be a contest.

It's me who's unsure about the obs. I really like getting out to a dark site but I can't do that very often. So will I get more 'jollies' from imaging from an obs in town or with a better camera, less often, out in the sticks ?

Steve.

ZeroID (Brent) · #26 27-03-2015, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveInNZ

Yeah,.....

So will I get more 'jollies' from imaging from an obs in town or with a better camera, less often, out in the sticks ?

Steve.

I can guarantee more 'jollies' from the Ob. I use my Ob several nights a week if the weather permits. Power up, set up whatever run I desire then go back inside and watch bit of telly and have time with my better half. It also keeps all my toys out of the house and easily managed, reduces any alignment time, finding SCP and reduces problem finding time as it does not get bumped around and bits lost\forgotten or damaged through travel or setup.
If the clouds come in I can grab a few frames through the gaps and be all closed down in 10 mins and back inside if it closes over completely. I can be brushed teeth and in bed in 15. I can do a few solar, lunar or planetary runs and within 30 mins be closed down, back inside and processing the avis or outside on the deck with wine glass in hand and BBQ tongs flashing.

My setup is pretty simple, I don't do remote, no real need and I just use BYE to automate exposures, PHD2 for guiding. I may look at remote later but at present it is quite pleasant to walk out during an Ad break and check on things or make any minor changes. If the TV is rubbish I can stay out there with the binocs and hunt satellites, meteors or just scan the skies.

I'd suggest you try to maximise your south and west sky view. East is obviously your most LP'd direction ( I have some trees that side anyway ) and South gives you SCP and all that rotates around it. Your north might be OK but I've got Mt Albert blocking my view in that direction.
Your wife will see more of you as any astro time will be better managed and minimal once you are setup. And when she calls you in you are handy and able to comply and still carry on with astro stuff after.

Harmony will ensue..

Basically if you want to maximise your time for astro it is by far the best option.

BPO · #27 27-03-2015, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeroID

If the TV is rubbish...

What do you mean "if"?

Jen · #28 29-03-2015, 01:47 AM

you lucky devils i so cant wait to get an observatory in my backyard if and when i dont know yet

It took me forever to set up tonight and i actually dropped the EQ5 on my foot ouchhhhhhhhhhh it hurt luckily i only broke the plastic cap that covers the polar scope ( can we buy those )

And lol at Steve i would freak out if i was that close to a huntsman OMG i wouldnt go back in there for days until i knew it was dead

DarkArts · #29 29-03-2015, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jen

... i actually dropped the EQ5 on my foot ouchhhhhhhhhhh it hurt luckily i only broke the plastic cap that covers the polar scope

Ooh, lucky you didn't break something more painful or expensive! A few years ago I dropped an EQ6 head on to my polished wooden floor boards ....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jen

( can we buy those )

Yes. Try Bintel. I got my replacement from there.

--------------

I'm sizing up houses/yards at the moment with a view to having a backyard Obsy - it's not easy to find the 'right' place.

Jen · #30 29-03-2015, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkArts

Ooh, lucky you didn't break something more painful or expensive! A few years ago I dropped an EQ6 head on to my polished wooden floor boards ....

Yes. Try Bintel. I got my replacement from there.

--------------

I'm sizing up houses/yards at the moment with a view to having a backyard Obsy - it's not easy to find the 'right' place.

Oh bugger that would have done some damage

thanks I will check out Bintel

mswhin63 (Malcolm) · #31 29-03-2015, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jen

you lucky devils i so cant wait to get an observatory in my backyard if and when i dont know yet

It took me forever to set up tonight and i actually dropped the EQ5 on my foot ouchhhhhhhhhhh it hurt luckily i only broke the plastic cap that covers the polar scope ( can we buy those )

And lol at Steve i would freak out if i was that close to a huntsman OMG i wouldnt go back in there for days until i knew it was dead

Hey Jen, really hope you get something up and running sooner rather than later. I have mine now and it is by far the bee's Knee's to having a great night imaging and relaxing under the stars.

Unfortunately I will be moving soon so I have to start dismantling but is also the reason for creating the "Rental Obs" should prove it worth I hope.

ZeroID (Brent) · #32 30-03-2015, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPO

What do you mean "if"?

True !! too true ....

Just means I'll spend a lot of time in the Ob ...

BPO · #33 30-03-2015, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkArts

Ooh, lucky you didn't break something more painful or expensive! A few years ago I dropped an EQ6 head on to my polished wooden floor boards ....

Quote:

Yes. Try Bintel. I got my replacement from there.

Bintel sell floorboards now?

BPO · #34 30-03-2015, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeroID

True !! too true ....

Just means I'll spend a lot of time in the Ob ...

TV is bad for the nightvision. It also destroys braincells.

glend (Glen) · #35 30-03-2015, 11:58 AM

That brings up an interesting side question; What strange accessories do you have in your observatory?

For example: Do you have a TV in the observatory? A Lazy Boy chair? a fridge? A coffee machine?

strongmanmike (Michael) · #36 30-03-2015, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glend

That brings up an interesting side question; What strange accessories do you have in your observatory?

For example: Do you have a TV in the observatory? A Lazy Boy chair? a fridge? A coffee machine?

Nothing very special this end...I've got a desk with draws, an office chair, two large shelving units, folding sofa bed with doona and pillows, a small gas stove and billy coffee pot, long life milk and dry food stash (including a bottle of port and a bottle of whisky), 20Ltr fresh water dispenser, a digital weather station, small portable cooling fan but no heater yet, various tools, fasteners and other hardware in case of necessary repairs and a big red portable workman's tough AM/FM radio (bit like a ghetto blaster)...oh and a few huntsman spiders of course

Mike

ZeroID (Brent) · #37 01-04-2015, 06:58 AM

My Ob is quite small, a 2.7m X 1.8m tinshed so not much storage room. No fridge or TV etc although I manage to store the Newt in it's Dob base in one corner. What I do have though is a number of cuphooks and bulldog clips around the walls screwed into the wood bracing inside. They hold charts and cables, baht masks, lens caps etc etc all out of the way and handy. Also a lot of bungee cords which secure the roof, keep the door closed when windy and hold the weather cover over the scopes and mount when I think the roof might drip in a blow.
I think the Ob looks more like the interior of a stationery cabinet than anything else sometimes.

Still one of my favourite places to be ...

strongmanmike (Michael) · #38 01-04-2015, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeroID

My Ob is quite small, a 2.7m X 1.8m tinshed so not much storage room. No fridge or TV etc although I manage to store the Newt in it's Dob base in one corner. What I do have though is a number of cuphooks and bulldog clips around the walls screwed into the wood bracing inside. They hold charts and cables, baht masks, lens caps etc etc all out of the way and handy. Also a lot of bungee cords which secure the roof, keep the door closed when windy and hold the weather cover over the scopes and mount when I think the roof might drip in a blow.
I think the Ob looks more like the interior of a stationery cabinet than anything else sometimes.

Still one of my favourite places to be ...

He, he, sounds very quaint Brent

got a photo perhaps..?

Mike

Geoff45 (Geoff) · #39 01-04-2015, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeroID

What I do have though is a number of cuphooks and bulldog clips around the walls screwed into the wood bracing inside. They hold charts and cables, baht masks, lens caps etc etc all out of the way and handy.

Yep, I have the same setup. Very useful.

glend (Glen) · #40 01-04-2015, 12:34 PM

I like to use my Coleman Pop-up Cupboard it has four solid shelves with a door and lots of pockets on the side, and the top counter makes a good laptop height desk. I bought it originally for a dark site workstation because it folds down flat but its so useful its in the obs now.