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  #21  
Old 20-12-2021, 06:03 PM
gts055 (Mark)
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The panoramic view is breathtaking and a makes for a living picture changing through the seasons. With your Sirius dome, I am wondering if any water/ moisture tracked from the outside deck under the Sirius wall onto the dome floor. Does the dome have a separate floor above the deck or is the dome floor also the deck? Can you tell me how you went about sealing the Sirius dome wall base where it sits on the deck. Mark
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  #22  
Old 21-12-2021, 05:25 AM
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That's a spectacular site. Looking forward to your images coming out of there.

Greg.
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  #23  
Old 21-12-2021, 09:25 AM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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Originally Posted by gts055 View Post
The panoramic view is breathtaking and a makes for a living picture changing through the seasons. With your Sirius dome, I am wondering if any water/ moisture tracked from the outside deck under the Sirius wall onto the dome floor. Does the dome have a separate floor above the deck or is the dome floor also the deck? Can you tell me how you went about sealing the Sirius dome wall base where it sits on the deck. Mark
I've emailed you Mark

Mike
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  #24  
Old 21-12-2021, 09:32 AM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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That's a spectacular site. Looking forward to your images coming out of there.

Greg.
On a clear day it is utterly spectacular...heck even when it's not clear it is magic ...I was out standing on the site cut for sometime last night, looking at Comet Leonard under a Full Moon, crystal clear and still... and the feeling was spine tingling really...felt almost not real...I spent some time looking around planning and imagining the positioning of my site shed and its proximity and access to the observatory and surrounding observing area etc...the Moon lit up the surroundings and distant rolling hills...standing there imagining the coming observatory, was euphoric

Mike
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  #25  
Old 21-12-2021, 03:24 PM
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Your enthusiasm is infectious.

Greg.
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  #26  
Old 22-12-2021, 08:25 AM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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Your enthusiasm is infectious.

Greg.
He he...I know , I'm like a kid in a lolly shop huh? ...I don't know when or if the feeling will ever end ...chomping at the bit to get the observatory done that's for sure but luckily and as much work as there is proving to be around the place, the property is a delight to be custodian of, I feel very privileged

NOW!...where's that damn observatory!?

Mike

Last edited by strongmanmike; 22-12-2021 at 08:38 AM.
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  #27  
Old 08-01-2022, 10:13 PM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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Managed to get some more work done on Eagleview Observatory.

Yesterday the final load of road base was delivered up to site and today the site cut was finished off with some fine grading and levelling as well as cutting a path up from the house. A 75-100mm layer of road base was spread and levelled over the whole site, with just a slight (~30mm) fall across the pad for drainage.

The felled and old dead trees behind the observatory, that were pushed over by the 15T excavator a few weeks ago, were cleared and piled up away from the observatory, ready for a big winter bonfire . Along with providing the observatory with almost complete 360deg unobstructed sky views, this has also resulted in a beautiful large open flat area, perched just above and behind the new observing pad, just begging to have a few telescopes setup and some tents pitched

I will be organising the fabrication of the rebar cage next week, building the formwork to enable a single pour monolithic concrete footing with 750mm tall support column and hopefully soon after that, have my 3.6m X 2.5m site shed/control room, relocated to the new site from my old observatory.

Feels like progress

All Eagleview Observatory construction photos can be viewed HERE

Mike
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Last edited by strongmanmike; 08-01-2022 at 10:40 PM.
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  #28  
Old 09-01-2022, 12:02 AM
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astroron (Ron)
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Looking good mike.
One question,where are you getting the water
from to fill your water tanks?
I don't see any roofs for rainwater collection?
Cheers
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  #29  
Old 09-01-2022, 12:17 AM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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Looking good mike.
One question,where are you getting the water
from to fill your water tanks?
I don't see any roofs for rainwater collection?
Cheers
Hi Ron, we have a 5000ltr tank under the house that collects water off the curved Nissen hut roof and a 23500ltr tank that collects from the roof of the two double garages, this is connected to the 5000ltr tank. When the 5000ltr tank is getting full we pump some of the water in it up to a 23500ltr holding tank up the hill from the house. This water is then gravity fed back to the house. We also have a 46000 litre tank further up the hill again but this is not connected to the house and is for firefighting and general garden use, it collects water via its own roof and gutter system

All tanks are currently full

Mike
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  #30  
Old 09-01-2022, 12:24 AM
DarkArts
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Thanks for sharing that info. A couple of more questions if I may:
  • Do you treat any of that water prior to domestic use?
  • Do you deem it potable or do you have another drinking water source?
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  #31  
Old 09-01-2022, 12:39 AM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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Thanks for sharing that info. A couple of more questions if I may:
  • Do you treat any of that water prior to domestic use?
  • Do you deem it potable or do you have another drinking water source?
Water is untreated, potable rain water.

Mike
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  #32  
Old 09-01-2022, 02:13 AM
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astroron (Ron)
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Originally Posted by strongmanmike View Post
Hi Ron, we have a 5000ltr tank under the house that collects water off the curved Nissen hut roof and a 23500ltr tank that collects from the roof of the two double garages, this is connected to the 5000ltr tank. When the 5000ltr tank is getting full we pump some of the water in it up to a 23500ltr holding tank up the hill from the house. This water is then gravity fed back to the house. We also have a 46000 litre tank further up the hill again but this is not connected to the house and is for firefighting and general garden use, it collects water via its own roof and gutter system

All tanks are currently full

Mike
Amazing.
Not much chance of even you drinking you dry.
Cheers
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  #33  
Old 09-01-2022, 07:35 PM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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Amazing.
Not much chance of even you drinking you dry.
Cheers
Could easily... if it was beer
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  #34  
Old 09-01-2022, 07:50 PM
AdamJL
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wow, Mike. This is coming along beautifully.
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  #35  
Old 10-01-2022, 12:24 PM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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wow, Mike. This is coming along beautifully.
Cheers Adam ...it's been a bit slow for my liking, being at a somewhat remote site, at serious altitude, during a pandemic, in the middle of an El Nina period does seem to slow works down a little

Mike
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  #36  
Old 10-01-2022, 06:35 PM
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Could easily... if it was beer
Thanks Mike ' that gave me a laugh

Cheers & Beers
Bobby
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  #37  
Old 11-01-2022, 07:30 AM
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Looking good Mike.

It'll probably all come together rather quickly once your pour is done.

Greg.
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  #38  
Old 11-01-2022, 11:24 AM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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Looking good Mike.

It'll probably all come together rather quickly once your pour is done.

Greg.
Hope you are right Greg

I now have an 18" F4.2 goto Dob (just taking it it up now actually )..which will need a storage/housing solution added to the observatory design. At this stage, Im thinking a small garden shed, then wheel it out, wheel it in, a quick setup/packup approach

Mike
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  #39  
Old 11-01-2022, 12:27 PM
AdamJL
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what's the design of your observatory, Mike? Anything off the shelf or is it from scratch?

Keenly following this project!
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  #40  
Old 11-01-2022, 03:37 PM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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what's the design of your observatory, Mike? Anything off the shelf or is it from scratch?

Keenly following this project!
Cheers Adam

See the attached sketch, it should look pretty well like this...except the 12" Dob depicted has been upgraded to an 18" GOTO Dob, just today in fact ...that's a 3M Scopedome from Sidereal Trading here in Oz.
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Last edited by strongmanmike; 11-01-2022 at 03:56 PM.
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