Rusted

8 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

The Bog Roll Binocular.   Cheap, lightweight, perfect colour correction, simple collimation, steady image, spares readily available.  What's not to like?    🙂

Interocular distance need not be a great difficulty. Even for those of us with eye on stalks. 
Flocking and baffling can be a bit of a pain but well worth the extra effort.
I have been experimenting with low IR emissivity coatings on the outside of the main tubes.
Dewing is always a problem during an "all nighter." Anything which exacerbates this is clearly to be avoided.
Dew shields are not the obvious panacea one might have hoped for. Often leading to nose-heavy handling.
I spent some years perfecting a full motion, binocular lounger to maximise limiting magnitude during moments of good seeing.
Greatly preferring paddles for the motion controls. Instead of the usual buttons.
Comfort is always a priority during a long observing session. 

6 hours ago, Albir phil said:

Yes I to am one of those older person who makes early morning calls of nature,but I have begun to not mind it as it gets me out on my roof here in Spain when the skies are ablaze with stars.By the way my 🚽 is not on my roof.😃

Do not dismiss the idea too quickly!
There's nothing like a nice bit of evaporative cooling during a heatwave.

Sorry, but there should a strict forum rule about criticising cardboard rolls!
While rather heavy, the material is thermally neutral and often stiff enough.
Pale imitations like CF and Aluminium do not raise the value of the instrument one iota.
Some of the finest planetary views ever have been obtained thanks to its use.
Regardless of optical design or supposed commercial value of large and costly APOs standing nearby.

We stand on the shoulders of John Dobson. Every time we imitate his genius in design.
He revolutionised and destroyed a sad attachment to the past and very deep pockets.
Crippled by inferior equatorials and centuries of making poor choices of materials.

He revolutionised the use of large apertures and brought them down to affordability for many.
Who would otherwise have been limited to inferior but expensive design only a fraction of the size.

Raise your glasses [or spectacles] to the humble bog roll. The poster tube. The carpet roll liner.
The Sonotube, and all the copycat, spiral cardboard, concrete formers. 
Without which, our hobby and science would have remained vanishingly small.
In comparison with today's thriving, global industry, dealers and countless hobbyists and enthusiasts.  

46 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

I was in no way disputing such claims for this observation any more than those of the HH, Sirius Pup or central star of the Ring Nebula.  I was more commenting on the apparent shift from "impossible" to relative commonplace of these observations over the decades.  Equipment and general observing skills have definitely improved but one would have thought that much would have been negated by light pollution and other modern impacts on seeing conditions.     🙂

Perhaps carrots are cheaper now? 😉

It is hiding under the X banner. I.e. Unsuitable for family viewing.

The casual dropping of a clean tissue on the bare floor didn't fool you, did it Peter?

BTW: That's not a real car. It is a decorative, workshop sofa in disguise.
Subtly placed for long periods spent at the lathe and milling machine.
The absence of cushions suggest deliberate defiance of workshop Feng Shui. 😏

Thanks again for all your kind wishes and support.

It would be ideal if the dome went to a school or institution.
Though this would require long term support and interest from suitable staff.
I have seen such observatories go to waste after a staff member moved on.
Or valuable items disappear into the woodwork through a lack of security.
Or students being allow to "play," unsupervised, with high value antiques and equipment.
Even the growth of nearby trees can destroy the very purpose of such a facility.
I will, of course, keep you informed of any progress.

Kind regards

Chris

56 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

Good luck @Rusted and I hope you find a resolution to this.

Thanks. 🙂

Hi again,

I have had a very kind and helpful response from the Danish Astronet Administrator.

He will spread the word about my dome and filter any responses as a vital go between.

He and his observatory are within a comfortable driving distance and he has invited me to visit for coffee.

I haven't had a face to face chat with a fellow amateur astronomer for years.

Thanks for all your support and ideas! 

Chris

11 minutes ago, RobertI said:

Really sorry to hear about your wife Chris. Not surprising you have lost interest in the project. The dome looks amazing - do you think you might be more inclined to finish it if you had some help? I’m wondering if there are some enthusiastic astronomers who might be willing to help out? Good luck.  

Thanks Rob.

I have always been a bit of a loner. So never sought help, or even notice of my activities. Preferring to share, semi-anonymously online.

I have now contacted two Danish astro forums and clubs. With reference to free collection rather than seeking aid.

Let's see what comes of that.

14 minutes ago, Victor Boesen said:

Sorry to hear this.... May I suggest you post about it on the danish Astronet? I would not be surprised if it caught the interest of someone there!!

https://www.astronet.dk/forum/

De bedste hilsener - Victor

Hej Victor!

Thanks for the link. I'll do that.

I have just sent Astronomisk.dk a mail.

Mvh

Chris

2 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Very sorry to hear your saga @Rusted. My condolences.

Thank you Jeremy.

I spent most of 2021 working on a fibreglass dome with spherical, bi-parting shutters.
Almost completed and close to being be lifted onto my two storey, home built observatory.
The whole build was documented in fine detail on my blog. [Signature below] Starts in February 2021.
The hope, at the time, was that others could copy my build.

Then my wife died suddenly in early 2022. All interest in my observatory building was lost.
Nearly 18 months later I still haven't touched the project. It has cost me around £4k so far.
A fraction of the price of a commercial dome in this size. Or even one of half the size!
I am prepared to have it taken away, free of charge, by anyone who can muster the muscle power and transport.
This thing is huge! Do not underestimate the effort required to handle the job. Check the picture below with the builders ladder for scale.

Fortunately the dome can be dismantled into three, large segments plus the shutters. It is simply bolted together with sealant at the overlaps.
If this were the UK or USA then somebody ambitious would probably take it off my hands.
But, I live [almost literally] in the middle of Denmark. Which has a small population and even smaller astronomy base.

If anyone in Denmark, or perhaps Germany[?] wants to take it away then you can have the project completely free of charge.
You will be entirely responsible for dismantling, loading a car transporter trailer and removal from the site. 500kg total?

You will need at least two or preferably three [or more] strong men. Huge and awkward, 150kg segments need sheer muscle to handle safely.
I worked entirely solo and it was really too heavy for me alone. [I am in my mid 70s!]
I can't imagine the idea of taking on this project would have anybody from the UK making the long trip over.
Despite the enormous savings! Remember, it is still an almost completed project. You will need to manage the final details.

I have advertised the project in the SG European buy and sell forum but doubt that will reach many likely to be interested.
I shall contact the Danish astronomy forum and list it on the Danish, small ads websites. DBA & GogG. There is no Danish eBay. Only eBay.de.

If there are any other constructive suggestions for disposal then I'd like to hear them. Thanks for your patience.

A lifetime, mostly wasted on searching for missing things.
Had the singular advantage of regularly cataloguing where all the other stuff was.
Despite having the memory, of a particularly amnesic goldfish,
I could identify the source of all the dismantled bits.
From several hundred hobbies and passionate interests going back well over 60 years.
My late wife argued that there was no aircraft hangar.
Which I could not fill, to overflowing, with chaos.

Well, there goes the conspiracy theory that the sun no longer exists.

Tool hire should give you access to the proper kit.
No need to buy for a one-off job.
Said the man with two sheds full of tools. 

When there is no room for a Prussic loop, I use a car, oil filter, removal strap.
Avoid anything sharp or metal or it might damage the parts. Preferably just plastic and rubber for friction.
A friction design is far more desirable than crushing power.
If these straps can overcome the PST's red locking cement then it might work on your adapter.

Use two straps in opposition to each other. Choose your tools wisely to avoid damage.
There are countless oil filter removal designs on the market. Some destroy the old filter so take care in your choice.

Wrapping the parts in grippy net-like, silicone cooking mats and using hand power might work.
Two people will double the torque applied.  These mats provide superb friction when most needed.
Supermarkets have them sometimes if you search.

There's a beautifully captured prom hiding on the limb.

I have boosted the gamma and contrast a tad to bring it out.
Any more and the sky becomes too bright.

You captured a lot of detail with a nicely uniform disk.
Your colour choice was interesting. Practice makes for an easier life. Keep at it.
I had a play with simple imaging software. Just to see if I could improve anything. Not with any great success.
 

10' DIY dome with bi-parting shutters. I have a light bulb inside the top of the 14' pyramidal pier as I climb up though it via the stepladder. 
A string of red LEDS on the base ring. Only bright enough for avoiding walking into it! Rather disappointing. I hoped for much brighter.
Two LED white light bulbs overhead for working on the mechanics with the shutters closed. Led table lamp on the computer desk.
The 24" monitor[s] provide some light at night but I am mostly solar or occasionally lunar imaging. No DSOs.
[Currently resting as I pretend to make slow progress on my 14' fibreglass dome] Crane needed to hoist it onto my 2 storey building.

An unprotected, 80mm objective will fry a small filter close to focus. Even a modern, reflective one. A Herschel wedge dumps most of the heat and light gathered by the objective. It usually needs further heat or light reduction filters for comfort and/or safety. Without a wedge, a front mounted external SOLAR filter and probably further filters, would be VITAL for safety.

The idea of a remote observatory, playing Russian Roulette with the sun's focused heat, terrifies me! It might lead to a child or untrained adult being permanently blinded if they should ever gain access to the kit. Whether accidentally or illegally. Or, if you are lucky, just an expensive camera being fried to a costly death and possibly a catastrophic fire to follow. As the camera eventually heats up and catches fire. Or sets fire to nearby plastic items or cables.

Even two telescopes, side by side on the same mounting, need 1000% guaranteed protection from the sun for both. Even if you have remote fitting and removal of external SOLAR filters. Or external BLOCKING PLATES on the dark sky telescope. You'd still need continuous, remote, visual monitoring of the kit and observatory. And instant and easy access in the event of an unforeseen problem.
 

Nicely done with tons of detail!

Good to see you acknowledging those who provide our "magical" software.

What a stunning set og images! Producing any one of them ourselves would make us happy.
You present a whole portfolio! Masterful! Well done!

1 minute ago, saac said:

The voices that get listened to are not necessarily the ones that shout  the loudest, it is more on content.  I don't social media drives or influences science overly, not where it matters. 

Jim 

Reading the posted responses to some of the click bait "nonsense" videos is enough to make one weep for mankind.
People do have some very odd ideas out there! 😱

I started carrying a camera with me everywhere after seeing two "UFOs" hovering over a local hill some few kilometres away. You may well imagine my disappointment. When one of these "UFOs" passed us later being towed by a common farm tractor. It was just a typical, very extended, animal carrying trailer. Commonly known as a grisevogn  [pig van?] in Danish and used for transporting pigs between local farms. The slightly misty conditions on my morning walk had applied an optical levitation, or mirage, to a pair of trailers in the distance. The contrasting yellow PVC cover and different coloured body, lower down had provided the "rows of windows" I had only imagined.