Garden shed observatory progress

[Phil]

Alex what would be good is to paint the outside white as this helps heaps to reflect the heat. I find with my dome being white it is always cooler then outside. Also a little exhaust fan suck the heat out. You can get solar exhaust fan that work great.
Phil

[rmcpb (Rob)]

Alex,

Is it possible to insulate the ceiling to help with the heat buildup? That roll out sarking that roofers use under corrugated iron is brilliant and seals at the edges so you have no fibres falling on gear.

Vents down low on the walls and under the eves allow lots of air circulation to help control moisture and heat as well.

Cheers

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Alex, the inside is starting to look too good for an observatory! You'll have to turn it into a spare bedroom and make another observatory.

Great job

Yes Ken I recon you could make a nice bedroom if it were a little longer ...mmm maybe for astro campers … there is another observatory being built out of cement and stone , the walls are completed but I cant figure a dome ...have thought just to do a ferro cemment roof and place a door it that ..Would have much of a view other than things directly above but its perfect for just astro photos as who wants to photo something if it’s not in clear sky above . I will get some photos of that if I can remember .
Alex

[xelasnave]

Ron I will get as many photos as I can but must say it’s pretty simple, just a shed and it has a floor and lined walls . If you want to build one I will help you spend your money and even help you put it together . Full on its only a day’s work most time is lost driving 80 klms for bits.
Thanks for the encouragement Ric
Thanks for that advice Phil indeed white paint has higher reflective qualities than the silvery iron sheet. I had a mate set aside two little fans today but did not get back to pick them up . They only draw .26 amps so they can run non stop on the battery system I have for it. Still I like the idea of another roof as I have the iron under a tree I have to burn off to get at but its there if you see what I mean .
Rob I thought of the sarking and indeed glass wool bats but in truth I have gone well over budget so gave up on doing it ...and I was going to do the full internal of the shed. I recon sufficient fans will cure most problems... moisture is a great concern up my way as well as the heat. I have figured a neat set up for putting the fans in under some little vents but all will have to wait for the next return. My mate is finishing most of the cement work while I am away .
Thanks everyone for the input I really do appreciate it .
alex

[Phil]

how is the shed going have you finished it. Loved to see some more photos.
Phil

[xelasnave]

I have been in Sydney since the last photos, when I go back later this week more will be done.. and will post the completed result. The next thing is to cement the tripod (or the top part of the legs) into the pier. I was not going to do that but looking at the sky down here tells me there is little point in dragging the eq6 down and to leave taking photos totally up home. So such an apparent silly approach will have it up and running shortly.
alex
alex

[avandonk]

Alex a better alternative woud be one of these EQ6 pillar extensions.

http://www.myastroshop.com.au/produc...asp?id=MAS-170

The top part is held by the three cap screws and replicates the EQ6 tripod top. Well worth the $77 as it is very well made and solid.

Bert

[xelasnave]

Thanks Bert but while I was away I had a unit made up .
I called in to see this guy who helped me build the huge fork mount with the 6 foot polar disk ..years ago ..

I asked if they could do the job and would you believe it built it then and there only $75-00 .

Could be improved but it works a treat .

Further progress some walls have been screwed onto the exterior panels.
Cement patio smothed out to allow easier running of shed .

A 12volt winch ($150 super cheap auto) has been added as the weight will be considerable when the shed is fuly equiped..and the winch is strong enough to pull me along while inside putting things away or taking them out .

Had each of 150 sn and 150 ar spend the night on the eq6 alone in the shed and they seemed ok .

Bush rats are stealing dog food and stocking it under the shed however ...

so I will have to rat proof it around the pier for a snug fit when closed... so long as they done come it I will sweep the food away until they give up .

Although they are rats they are very nice, not like city rats.. but probably carry the plague so I dont like them too close .

Polar alignment is close .

Getting unguided runs of 250 seconds at 750mmf/l and some long runs even with the 150ar at 1200 fl.

Have trained the mount and seems very sweet. Have not tried goto or auto guide want to have a few things sortted before I bother.

Maybe then clean everything

Took heaps of photos of various objects while dialing in polar and its pretty close but have to do some real long runs to check it more .
It will take a while .

Set up a table and the three cases of gear sit in the shed .

Still a long way to go.

Fans prchased but have not been fitted.

Battery bank set up and seems to be taking a charge with only a small solar panel so 12 vlts comes from main supply at the moment. Couple more days of Sun and the bank should be at full charge or I need new batteries.

My cartaker mate bought a 4 stroke genny so power is not a problem at all now .... 1200 watts $350-00 what value . So I will set up the old 2 stroke 800 watt genny as a support for the shed. I want to move the whole lot up the top hill when it is working I have some bed rock exposed for another pier and it is about 110 feet higher..ever little bit helps I hope.

I was thinking it is so much cheaper than a dome and you have a office, the shed, when rolled off..even with fancy 12 vlt winches it is cheap and easy for anyone to build and would fit into many back yards even up against a fence.
alex

[xelasnave]

This photo shows getting close on polar. This was cropped from a big stack of shots up to 220 seconds and the stars are not too bad .
This was done after training
alex

[DobDobDob (Ron)]

That shot looks pretty good to me Alex

Also, don't forget to enter your Observatory into Barry's free listing at: http://www.aussiepeople.com.au/ASIGN...rvatories.aspx

The 'Rats' - no comment

[xelasnave]

Thanks Ron I am putting something together for Baz but dont hold your breath.. I am so busy I am having time management concerns.

But I hope the shed will be completed very soon.. but it goes on and on..details take the time.
Thanks again
alex

[Ric]

Very nice image Alex, I'll look forward to seeing another version when you are fully aligned.

Cheers

[xelasnave]

More done but I lost the photos.

All panelling is installed, fans are installed. Cement fixed so shed rolls nicely.
Pulled craford focuser apart, cut some metal tp shorten it, built a camera holding unit that saved heaps of weight.

Set up desk with lap top, got 5m usb cables but need one other cable to control from shed... but all is going very well.
Batteries are holding a charge ..winch needs some cable guides and a guide rail in time.

Scope is getting "the treatment" and all should be ready by next dark. It is very dirty. I must be loosing a lot of light given the grime on the mirror surfaces..

Looking forward to a couple of good dark nights with it all working..
Next Auto Guiding run down.. but it should guide manually very well given the unguided shot above.

But I must say the concept of the roll away shed must be handy for a lot of people.. its cheap, it does not have to roll far, and provides a good storage for your gear, a good control room close to the action that can be sealed against the cold.. I never liked the roof off roof because up my way it could be the "blow away roof".. wind can be a consideration for me.. the shed was blown down within a day or two of it first being erected.. but now the shed is held by a bolt on the pier when closed..

And it is the only "clean" place available to work on optics..no dog hair or cement dust as is found in the shack. No stove smoke either.

So the cleanliness will help my photos as will the refinement and adjustment one can make with a permanent set up..I expect.

alex

[DobDobDob (Ron)]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

More done but I lost the photos.

alex

You would have had it finished by now if you hadn't spent most of your time arguing with that dang tailwag

[xelasnave]

It is more the perfectionist in me that slows me up ..

I dont like doing something until I am happy with it..
there have been many small gates in this small project and because it is so small things have to be just so .

I have been also working on the rock observatory but its is becoming more and more difficult to complete..I am still not happy with the candidates for a dome or roof... so I am not rushing..still .

I have started the "big mount" also ...the english equatorial, my style.. for a 16 inch or two .. someone stop me please .. its madness but I can not help myself ...
alex