Observatory Or not Observatory

[Martin 2]

Having my wife suggest building an observatory I now have a dilemma. We will be putting our house up for sale this month, its a large house so may take a while to sell so should I build a very temporary one now i.e just get a cheap BQ 6x6 shed, fix some rails to the patio floor and wheels to the base of the shed, have double doors to the front, then have the scope set up on the tripod in hibernate mode, then when I want to use the scope I just fold back the doors and push the shed back. This is what my heart is telling me to do. My brain on the other hand is telling me to wait till we move and then build a nice permenant observatory and don't waste £200 - £300 on one now, need some sensible advice here Guys and Girls, HELP.

M2

[Kai]

Wait until you move would be my advice.

[Andrew*]

I would suggest you wait. You must have been happy with your current situation for a while, and to waste money on it just (even if it is half a year) before moving doesn't make sense to me....

Just my opinion.

Andrew

[The Warthog]

That's a bit of a no-brainer. Wait until you get into the new digs. You'll be too busy with getting ready to move, anyway.

[GazOC]

I agree, make do with what you've got this winter/ spring and then look at your situation again in the summer when you can look to build for the oncoming dark nights.

[GordonCopestake]

Wait until you are in the new house and then put a real pier down in a 1 meter cube. If you buy a shed now you can take it with you but you dont know what you new garden will be like and it is likely a waste of cash. Just a IMO

[MartinB]

Does this mean you are doing some imaging Martin. If you're using the NS8 in Alt Az for visual stuff there doesn't seem to be a huge amount to gain from an observatory at the mo. Oh I would love an observatory! The last time I went out it took me 2 hours from opening garage door to recording light on the chip. That's just too long

[Martin 2]

Thanks folks, good advice i think, I'll wait till we move, its just I've set up so many times this year and then had to bring it indoors again without seeing anything (cloud and rain) its getting very frustrating, but you are all correct, i'll have to find some patence.

Thanks

M2

[MartinB]

Then just put up a small shed. Wont clutter up the place, it will be cooled down and you just have to lift it out into position. That does seem like £200 well spent even if only for a few months. When you get the new place, get yourself an observatory with a pier and put the scope on a wedge, get a really good drift alignment and you've got yourself a 2 minute set up time

[barkis]

Just buy an obsevatory tent as a stop gap measure. You can keep it and use it on your trips to starfest meets.

Now don't be too graphic in your reply telling me to go away.

Barkis.

[ZOG]

Wait till you can do something permanent Martin. By the way, "sensible" and "astronomy" don't make suitable bedmates.

[OlympusMons]

Having my wife suggest building an observatory I now have a dilemma. We will be putting our house up for sale this month, its a large house so may take a while to sell so should I build a very temporary one now i.e just get a cheap BQ 6x6 shed, fix some rails to the patio floor and wheels to the base of the shed, have double doors to the front, then have the scope set up on the tripod in hibernate mode, then when I want to use the scope I just fold back the doors and push the shed back. This is what my heart is telling me to do. My brain on the other hand is telling me to wait till we move and then build a nice permenant observatory and don't waste £200 - £300 on one now, need some sensible advice here Guys and Girls, HELP.

M2

Hi,

It depends how badly you want/need to observe right now i presume.

Logic tells me to wait until you have moved in but if you have the funds and cannot wait, a small temporary enclosure could be built fairly quickly.

Hope that helps you decide.

Kind Regards and Clear Skies to all!

Stewart Waters

http://tinyurl.com/yl23wl

[barkis]

Many years ago Martin, I decided to build my own observatory. I tagged it on to the end of my already large garage. It was 12ft x 12ft, and surmounted by a 10ft diameter dome. The superstructure for the dome was fabricated for me by a local firm. That included the base ring, which was 4 inches x .5", and with four .5" plates at 90 degrees, welded to the mid section of the ring. This was to facilitate supporting the ring on to the brickwork. I skinned the dome with galvanized sheet as aluminium was far too expensive. I cut the leaves by hand, and sealed and riveted them. I had a two foot wide door, which slid over the top of the dome, and gave me access to the zenith. This was accomplished because the first three feet of the opening, hinged down, and was held by yacht cord to prevent it fouling the roof of the building.

The base for the mounting, was built with concrete blocks, built onto a pad of concrete which had been sunk into the ground three feet.

I made a wooden floor just for comfort, its no fun standing on concrete in the middle of winter. No where did the floor contact the mounting, there was a small gap. This observatory was constructed to house a 12" f6 Newtonian which I built myself, main mirror as well. I bought the flat from Dave Sinden, a very good friend of mine, God bless him.

So Martin, When I suggested buying a tent as a stopgap measure, It was not too serious a suggestion. And this protracted story is merely to galvanize you into putting your heart and soul into your project when you eventually move to your new home. There will be other priorities you will probably need to attend to first. But believe me, when you start this Ob. Job, and the going may get a bit tough at times, just think of the difference it will make to the already enormous pleasure we all get from our hobby. There is nothing that can describe the feeling when you are enclosed in there, your scope aimed through that doorway to the stars. No extraneous light affecting you. It's blumming marvellous.

An observatory is a world within a world. I have dismanled mine now, mainly because of a fundamental design error, which was leaking rain water where the roof joined the dome ring. I could never keep it sealed. I have turned it into a workshop now, just to potter about in.

I am sure you will enjoy the construction of you Ob. when you start. You wont need any luck. Inspiration will drive you on.

And the rewards you will get for you labour are incalculable. Believe me I know.

Ron.