South Side Observatory
- AstroBee
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Re: South Side Observatory
Scopes: Celestron EdgeHD14", Explore Scientific ED152CF & ED127 APO's, StellarVue SV70T, Classic Orange-Tube C-8, Lunt 80mm Ha double-stack solar scope.
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach One, iOptron CEM70EC Mount, iOptron ZEQ25 Mount.
Cameras: ZWO ASI2600mm Pro, ZWO 2600MC Pro, ZWO ASI1600mm
Filters: 36mm Chroma LRGB & 3nm Ha, OIII, SII, L-Pro, L-eXtreme
Eyepieces: 27mm TeleVue Panoptic, 4mm TeleVue Radian, Explore Scientific 82° 30mm, 6.7mm , Baader 13mm Hyperion, Explore Scientific 70° 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, Meade 8.8mm UWA
Software: N.I.N.A., SharpCapPro, PixInsight, PhotoShop CC, Phd2, Stellarium
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Re: South Side Observatory
Is your project customizing a "pre-fab" building, or is this a total custom project? Total custom means that you have a vision in your head that you are working toward.
Cheers,
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
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∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
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Re: South Side Observatory
Power...
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Re: South Side Observatory
It's not pre-fab because I have to put it together myself. This is what I ordered when put together as specified, a simple lean-to garden shed.
"Vision" is a big word. This is what I have in mind right now for the roof support, the simplest method I can think of. Basically, the original roof support beam is attached to the side walls. That beam is replaced with a 2x2 that runs through the middle of the frame. Then 4" wide triplex lining around there that serves as the edge of the "lid" (=roof). Attached at the wall edges are some constraints to make sure the roof slides in the right position. It only has to be lifted a few feet, then I can flip it and slide it up to close it. Let's see if that can work.
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Re: South Side Observatory
REFRACTOR , TS-Optics Doublet SD-APO 125 mm f/7.8 . Lunt 80mm MT Ha Doublet Refractor .
EYEPIECES, Delos , Delite and 26mm Nagler t5 , 2 zoom Svbony 7-21 , Orion Premium Linear BinoViewer .
FILTER , Nebustar 2 tele vue . Apm solar wedge . contrast booster 2 inches .
Mounts , cg-4 motorized , eq6 pro belt drive .
“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in.”
― Isaac Asimov
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Re: South Side Observatory
The side and rear panels are up,
Here you can see the size relative to myself,
.
I framed the shed's upper side and rear panels,
and completed the frame on which the roof panels will be placed. It has 2x2s at the bottom that I cut from recycled 2x4s, and plywood strips that hang over the edge of the upper panels of the shed, also recycled as you can tell from the crappy look. It's a bit moldy but good enough.
Tomorrow I should have the basic structure complete! The frame added a lot of weight though; maybe I need to do something with a pulley and counterweights, let's see how heavy it is.
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Re: South Side Observatory
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Re: South Side Observatory
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED80CF, Skywatcher 200 Quattro Imaging Newt, SeeStar S50 for EAA.
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-g mount & Skywatcher EQ5 Pro.
ZWO mini guider.
Image cameras: ZWO ASI1600 MM Cool, ZWO ASI533mc-Pro, ZWO ASI174mm-C (for use with my Quark chromosphere), ZWO ASI120MC
Filters: LRGB, Ha 7nm, O-III 7nm, S-II 7nm
Eyepieces: a few.
Primary software: Cartes du Ciel, N.I.N.A, StarTools V1.4.
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Re: South Side Observatory
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6R, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100 ∞ AP Gear: ZWO EAF and mini EFW and the Optolong L-eXteme filter
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
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Re: South Side Observatory
Me too. I think the weight is OK. I got 2 stainless steel handles from ACE to lift the roof with.
I put the door in, added a wall outlet and put 3 layers of poly on the frame.
The poly needs to dry 3 days before putting it in operating condition according to the instructions.
Unfortunately, I will be traveling next week so I will have to wait with the roof panels until next weekend. Once that is done, the obsy is basically complete and functional.
I will still need to do some caulking, and epoxy putty to glue the structure to the concrete and fill the cracks below the water dam, but this is California, so rain is not expected any time soon.
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Re: South Side Observatory
I took the roof off twice and put it back on, it did not seem to be a problem. I only have to lift it 2 or 3 feet then I can flip it and sliding it on along the roofline is easy.
The exterior, the interior, the power outlet. When opening, first slide the roof down using the handles, then lean it against the fence so it is not obstructing the telescope.
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Re: South Side Observatory
The construction takes patience and some skill. Doing the modification to a detachable roof (the observatory mod) was really not that much work. Most of the work was in assembling the metal shed. Taking the plastic off the panels was a time-consuming PITA. Assembling all the panels with a gazillion screws takes a good deal of time. Compared to a plastic shed (I have a 7x7 one), I think it takes much more time but working with metal and modifying it is probably easier than doing the same with a plastic shed.
So, if I had to do it again, I would do the same. It is a cost-effective way of building a simple observatory and is dirt cheap too. Now, I haven't checked if my 12" Newt fits with enough clearance, but it should. I won't do it now because I have to get ready for travel. But it looks good and I'm happy with the result.
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Re: South Side Observatory
How is the roof secured when not in use? Do you have some anti-lift hardware in case of high winds?
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: South Side Observatory
Camera: 294 MC Pro, 224 mc, 2600mm
Guiding: ZWO 290 mini on 120mm guide scope
Mounts: EQ6R-Pro, EQ Platform.
Filters: Optolong L-Pro & L-Enhance, Chroma 36mm LRGB, 5nm HA, 3nm OIII, 3nm SII.
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Telescopes: 50mm refractor, ED80 triplet, 90mm makcass, 10" dob, 8"SCT, 11"SCT
Mounts: Celestron CGX, Orion Sirius + several camera tripods
Cameras: Canon 6D, Canon 80D, ZWO-ASI120MC
Binoculars: 10x50, 12x60, 15x70, 25-125x80
Observatory: SkyShed POD XL3 + 8x12 warm room
AL Projects Completed: Lunar #645, Outreach #0280, Universe Sampler #93-T, Binocular Messier #871, Messier #2521, Messier Honorary #2521, Constellation Hunter Northern Skies #112, Planetary Transit Venus #1, Galileo #26, Outreach Stellar 0280, Meteor Regular #157, Solar System Telescopic #209-I, Observer Award #1
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Re: South Side Observatory
I have to chuckle at the difference 14° of latitude makes. For your climate, your obsy is perfect. Up here, that structure would be a DEEP freezer!
Anyway, great design and build. Once again, can't wait to see it in operation.
Cheers,
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6R, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100 ∞ AP Gear: ZWO EAF and mini EFW and the Optolong L-eXteme filter
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
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Re: South Side Observatory
Thanks!
The frames of the roof and the shed are 2x2s side by side. My plan is to drill a hole through both and stick a long fat nail through it, in the middle on both short sides. I will make sure to keep the nail in place when the wind rattles the shed somehow, TBD.
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Re: South Side Observatory
True! Insulation = zero. There are 5 mm door cracks. In California, not a huge problem. The roof will also not collapse under a load of snow.
Thanks! I decided to dumb the design down as much as I could. The size is one reason why it works. The roof is small enough to raise with manpower, and the wall height is low enough to minimize the energy required.
As soon as I get back I will put my mount with the 12" in it and make a video with a roof demo.
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Re: South Side Observatory
For now I will just use my AVX on the driveway for the Northern skies, or maybe add a new mount. Toting the G11 back and forth is not worth the trouble, I think, and defeats the purpose.
I'm curious if the WiFi on the Pi4b is good enough to connect to the router from inside the walls. I may have to add a repeater or ethernet cable.
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Re: South Side Observatory
May it bring you many years of enjoyment!
-Jeff
Member; ASTRA-NJ
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