Nigella Bryant

Thanks everyone, much to think about over the next few months. Garden clearence first then ground work, cabling on the Obsy site. A few alternative to think about but does make sense to run two cat cables, they're cheap in the scheme of things. I'm thinking about running an armoured cable from the mains wiring in a junction box in the bungalow roof space, there's spare connectors on the ring mains. This can then be put into the trench through a pipe with the cat cable's. The mains will then run to a junction box in the dome. I'm going to build a concrete pillar as I've done before and duct wiring up that to sockets. Does all this make sense?

So the cat5/6 does this run to the broadband router or to the computer in the warm room/house? Would WiFi work from the scope/mount? As well as cat5/6 never installed a network so any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks David and Pete, so much to think about and regret later on when you need other cables, great suggestions.

Yeah, really amazing since moving from Bristol.

Hi all, I've recently moved and my observatory has been dismantled waiting for all the process of rebuilding it at my new home. I'm 61 soon and although able still to do many things I'm hoping to future proof my observing in later life when perhaps cold weather, etc is not conducive to a 90 year old, lol. With this in mind what kind of cabling would I need to put in the ground for remote access. It makes sense to me to put this in while I'm doing the ground work. My Obsy is a 2.7m pulsar, my telescope is an Orion optics 12inch f4 Newtonian, currently using a neq6 mount (this may be upgraded as time goes on) I use a Canon 1000d modded camera and zwo cameras. I use my laptop for acquiring images. Hope this makes sense.

Many thanks

I'll be painting mine green too, what paint did you use?

Me too as I've an older pulsar dome that I'm working on after a house and dome move, lol. Be really interested in the supplier and all bits that's needed. Brilliant build and thanks for sharing.

A little bit of clear sky for 10mins so had a quick go at what could be seen from the intended site of the observatory. Just managed two 30sec image with my mobile phone before it rained again this evening. Seems not bad, stars are really bright, could easily see the M31 galaxy directly. Can just make it out on one of the images. No light intrusion on the site from the two street lights and it's dark. Cloud's illuminated from some further street lights. All in all I think it's a good place to place the dome. Images looking south according to skysafari at the moment of the image were taken. It is right of the two right hand side star's of the square of pegasus. Looks like I won't have an horizon view at the South west to North horizon but views of everything else.

Welcome Neil, yeah, SkySafari is what I use on my phone and tablet.

Yeah, from the road the conifers are 6ft whilst from my side of the garden they're 9ft. The existing shed roof is only just visible from the road. I plan not to go higher than the existing shed. I think I might not to have to build up much as the dome is 1.7m.

Thanks Gina, will do. I'll have to buy some goggles.

Hope this quick sketch makes sense, obviously not exactly to scale. It's of the side of the bungalow. No property near by. There is a shed that's been built on the bank which I plan to use as a warm room.

Yeah, I've got my long and Lat but I'm not going to publish where I am, lol. I shall only say this once, hello, hello, lol.

Thanks Gordon, never used one before so it'll be interesting, lol. Most of the trees need cutting back. I've a monkey puzzle tree in the back garden which also needs the lower branches removed. I might put myself up as a tree surgeon after, lol.

Of course not, lol.

Thanks Gordon, I've just bought a chainsaw, lol. Yeah good idea about making a plan. I'll be measuring up once I've trimmed everything back.

I'm new to North Devon and wondering if there's any SGL member's in this area and or know anything about the North Devon Astronomical Society. Thanks for reading. Ella.

Yeah, Swoop, I'm inclined to agree. Also once I've trimmed back the conifers back, I'll be able to see what I'm playing with. I've looked at the road side and there's no bare patches so agree that the hedge is better than I first thought so will give it a trim only.

Yeah, I think the only way to go is lop, there's not much growth so I'd be left with dead trees probably in a few years anyway.

More pics

Hi James, I think it's dead half way down as there's only growth the road side and near the top. I might end up just leaving the main trunks, cutting off the branches and weaving branches cut off the pear trees to make a new lower hedge and put clematis to weave in and out.

Brilliant news, what a great opportunity, spectroscopy would be of interest to me. Thanks FLO.

Thanks all, I guess I'll know more when I clear the garden of rubbish, brambles and the like. The hedge is conifer at least 9ft high from my side and 7ft high from the road side, looking west, but it's half dead so I'm inclined to chop at least 3ft off from my side. I've no near neighbours the side where I'm planning on putting the dome. My property is a bungalow so if I put it in position 2, it would look over the roof east wards. It's really complicated isn't it on where best. Supposedly clear here Monday night so I'll plan to sit in those two places to see what I can see. Neighbours might freak out, lol but needs must.

Attached area that I'll be playing with and two proposed area, the area on the bank no2 seems more pleasing to the eye or it could be cut half into the bank as at no 1 position.