You might want to be there several times to know the usual direction of the wind. At my dark site its almost always from one direction - NE. I have lost quite a few nights due to heavy winds. But wind is likely to be seasonal or for a few weeks and then nothing for a while. Hard to predict it.
I'd go one step further, bolt the obs down and leave it empty for the windiest month of the year or close to. Then see if it's still there at the end of the month, move the gear in post wind test...
Not surprising considering your top of the continent, nothing to stop, break or interfere with the general rotation winds, and seasonal influence for N/S variation.
I'm not a regular poster but your story is inspiring. We spent 10 years, 20km outside Queanbeyan at 900m on a hilltop where I could see the Tindery Mountains. It's where I got into astro due to the phenomenal skies but yours is at another level altogether. Our prevailing winds were W or NW but that will become evident. Your excitement is infectious as you can tell by the number of responses. Have fun, Bruce
I'm not a regular poster but your story is inspiring. We spent 10 years, 20km outside Queanbeyan at 900m on a hilltop where I could see the Tindery Mountains. It's where I got into astro due to the phenomenal skies but yours is at another level altogether. Our prevailing winds were W or NW but that will become evident. Your excitement is infectious as you can tell by the number of responses. Have fun, Bruce
Cheers Bruce, nice to hear that My excitement may well be interpreted as bragging by some, or some form of blowing my own trumpet etc but as you and hopefully most others have thankfully identified correctly, that's not where I am at, or coming from, it's just exciting to share such a thrilling situation with others, who understand the feeling, would feel exactly the same in my shoes and can join in and run with someone else's good fortune, without jealousy or negative envy...love'yas all ...if all else fails just enjoy the nice colourful pictures ..like you would a brochure describing some cool AirB&B
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.)
Glad you brought that up Mike…when are you starting to accept bookings
Such a great story of following your hearts and coming up trumps anyone who can’t be happy needs to slap ‘em selves
He he, yeah mate, I know if I was reading this story, about someone else, I'd be beaming form ear to ear for sure, recognising the totally unique situation, that we just don't hear about in OZ and imagining the options possible if it were me
I guess we all feel and respond differently to others fortunes, largely dependent on our own inherent nature, interpretations and personality
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
As far as fire goes...well..that's what insurance is for, it's as simple as that for me...
Insurance is ok for material things but still got to be careful with family and yourself. Some of the trees in your aerial shots look like they felt a little heat at some stage although the place has a few grass areas and many cleared spots.
Insurance is ok for material things but still got to be careful with family and yourself. Some of the trees in your aerial shots look like they felt a little heat at some stage although the place has a few grass areas and many cleared spots.
You are quite right Marc, still, plan is to get out before any fire front is on us. I feel I would be unlikely to stay and fight any dangerously close fire, especially should it approach from the heavily wooded North. We are on a fire trail with two exit directions and there is an RFS station outside our immediate neighbours house, on our property access road, the RFS comms tower and shed is actually on our property) ...but all genuine concerns worth planning for Oh and yes, the tall dead snow gums you can see sticking up over the subsequent tree growth, were killed in the 2009 fires that went through this area.
I have been trawling the internet looking for observatory ideas...
I showed this to my wife Angie and asked...buuuut she shut me down immediately ...I mean sheesh , I thought it would look great at Eagleview and be perfectly appropriate....
Dont be put off...she no doubt likes it in principle ..its probably the colour..change the colour and I am sure she will be onside.
I thought from the photos that there is a dome there already???
Alex
Dont be put off...she no doubt likes it in principle ..its probably the colour..change the colour and I am sure she will be onside.
I thought from the photos that there is a dome there already???
Alex
He he yeah, I'll try that
I photoshopped my current observatory into the photos, in two possible locations that I identified, before actually spending time on site, just to get an idea. I have since identified a couple more possible locations on the 100 acres though...so, we will see
Please consider a roll off as I found it rather neat having lots of room (mine is 3.8 x3.8). I have a bed and desks and even a nice little deck...although I suppose you will take your dome.
Anyways please keep stuff coming as I for one love seeing you get somewhere and if anyone thinks you are blowing your trumpet ..just feel sorry for them for having such terrible situations that they can only be critical of people with full and real lives.
Alex
I have since identified a couple more possible locations on the 100 acres though...so, we will see
100 acres offers options ... many options ... way too many options! Fast forward five years and Mike is still evaluating the best place to put a dome while temporarily observing from his driveway ... ... or maybe that's just me.
I photoshopped my current observatory into the photos, in two possible locations that I identified, before actually spending time on site, just to get an idea. I have since identified a couple more possible locations on the 100 acres
Why don't you get a big concrete slab with a rolloff roof and a few piers with room to move? You have the land for that. Flog the dome. Expand.
100 acres offers options ... many options ... way too many options! Fast forward five years and Mike is still evaluating the best place to put a dome while temporarily observing from his driveway ... ... or maybe that's just me.
I cant believe that of Mike he is a doer....and if you place it wrong just build another one..you cant have too many observatories..one for wide field, one for galaxies, one for solar and back ups for each
Why don't you get a big concrete slab with a rolloff roof and a few piers with room to move? You have the land for that. Flog the dome. Expand.
Building off the ground I have heard is the go to avoid heat build up via a slab...although heat build up may be something Mike may like up there.
Alex
As part of a helpful community I thought I would offer up a little interweb searching... Maybe skip the slab and go for artificial something or another, keep it to pier slabs dotted around the place.
I do like the idea of a roll off roof, with the extra space it provides and visibility of the sky above but it is wind that I worry about ..We have had high wind levels up here several days/nights already (up to Beaufort scale 7), certainly a couple of them I wouldn't have opened a dome, let alone a roll off roof observatory It's been my experience, that if the wind is anything up to fresh (Beaufort scale 5) and I am not imaging directly into the wind, the current 2.3m Sirius dome works beautifully as protection, even with the dome slit fully open and if I can shut the lower shutter ie once I am imaging over about 45deg or so above the horizon, I can probably handle up to Beaufort scale 6 without serious adverse affects on tracking. Pretty sure this would all be impossible in any roll of roof scenario..?
Interesting approach there Steve, sounds reasonable.
Yes, I am keen to build the observatory up off the ground, so given the winds, it will need to be built tough and strong...err?..like it's owner...once was