Some questions before the build starts if at all!

[skippyinspace]

Ok couple of questions and some background,

Have been gifted the labour of my father in law who is a mechanical engineer who also wants to be involved in the design phase but has no interest in astronomy.

Plot of land is 40m x 40m with house in the N/W

Scope is a celeston Advance 8" Newtonian, Non goto

Plan is to get into astrophotography

Options are.

1) Current set up with cover

2) Pier and updated mount with cover (Looking at £1K with this option)

3) Commercial shed modified (£?? always more than estimated)

4) Taylors or Alexanders shed current estimate with out pier and mount £1500 to £2500 (Killer is transport to AB42)

5) Have skyshed plans been quoted £1K for wood alone.

Second lot of question.

Where is the best place to locate the set up?

Ie a pier at the end of a patio will probbably get more use than a pier at the bottom of the garden and a ror observatory in the middle of the garden would get a divorce.

If it was you what would you choose.

My budget was under £2K but the funds are not forthcomming until July / August I believe.

Thanks

[Gina]

I'm no expert, having only just started my own setup but can give a few pointers.

Take a good look round and see where would be best for viewing, particularly generally southwards if you want to see objects far from the celestial pole. You will also need to see Polaris in order to polar align. If your scope is going to be lower than eye level standing up, don't forget to allow for that and look from the height your scope will be. You don't want Polaris just obscured by something, for instance.

Nearer the house will reduce the length of conduit and cables if you want to run power and maybe data cables to the obs from the house. Having dug my hole I've been thinking I might have put it a bit nearer the house for that reason but I chose the best viewing position.

There are no doubt other factors but that's what occurs to me at present. Of course, it's best to consult your OH on the matter if you want a quiet life

P.S. If you already have the mount you are going to use, it's a good plan to set up the tripod in the position you think best from the above and try it out before starting any works. Save things like "Drat! I forgot about that tree/telegraph pole etc." and remember that trees grow upwards, stating the obvious, I know, but these things can be easily forgotten. Good to be thinking and planning a good long time in advance of actually doing it. Time spent in planning is time well spent.

[skippyinspace]

Meeting hels with father in law and decided due to cost its a two stage project.

stage 1 - pier and a cover and a slabbed area.

stage 2 - in 2012 when finances recover a ROR shed, type and supplier yet to be determinds

Stage 1 - items have been purchased - an Iopton gem 5 goto mount and a skyshed pier from Altair astro who supplied an excellent add on package. Hope to have for the weekend so I can start digging!

[Digz]

Sounds good to me. As Gina says, I would definitely, if you have the kit, set it up in several locations to see which is the best place.

Im currently designing a generic modular obsy which consists of a timber frame enclosure and a GRP dome. Once finished I should be able to do a bill of quants and get a rough price as, at present I have no idea how much it would cost me, lol.

[chouet]

Remember to isolate the pier base from walked-on surfaces. Also, concrete under foot sucks the heat out of you compared to grass or wood.

[Carbon Brush]

Location. Choose the best. do not compromise.

A short cable run saves spade work once.

The wrong location spoils many nights.

[skippyinspace]

Well as for location the masive 40m x 40m has turned into a 6m x 6m area.

The thing is the only sky that has part of it blocked is the NW and all other I either have horizon views or 10deg at most obstruction. The only problem is that in winter I might get light pollution from a glass type room we are putting on the house, but the wife prefers to watch TV in the dark so that might be the only light problem!

Thanks for all the advice.

[Gina]

Location. Choose the best. do not compromise.

A short cable run saves spade work once.

The wrong location spoils many nights.

Yes, I agree

[Carbon Brush]

Don't worry about the TV. We have a large TV in a conservatory. It (to me) seems to light up the sky and the house wall above. In reality it not a significant source of light pollution.

You will certainly feel the difference when you get your shed built. I really know about wind chill when I change between my shed fixed mount and portable garden setup.

The shed was, by the way, my best ever astro spend. Don't underestimate the extra wood needed to make the roof rigid and keep the walls rigid. Normally a shed is a closed box. By sliding the roof you take away a lot of rigidity. Try to get a look at other people's sheds, or as a minimum photos and explanations.

David.

[Gina]

Where we are it's wide open to the cold easterlies and can get very cold so I'm thinking I definitely need a wind break and going back to thinking about a shed too.

[RogerTheDodger]

There isn't room in my current garden for a permenent obsy so I bught a shed to store it all in and to sit in while imaging - makes a lot of difference in the cold

[Fenriz]

There isn't room in my current garden for a permenent obsy so I bught a shed to store it all in and to sit in while imaging - makes a lot of difference in the cold

I'm planning on doing exactly the same, a small 6'x4' shed skinned inside with 5mm ply as telescope store with a bench for laptop, power points, and set of draws for EPs etc.

[Macavity]

I bought an Alexanders observatories 10'x6' - It's great. A couple of retrospective points.

1. DO order well in advance, there can be quite a looong lead-in time.

2. It's amazing how quickly the available internal space gets used up!

On the last, the Alexander's walls are about 3" thick and I find the minimum INTERNAL dimension (5'6") is just about sufficient to "swing" an equatorially mounted 8" Newtonian AND (perform the gymnastics to!) reach the eyepiece in ALL positions. Your mileage (scope size, agility etc.) may vary. An SCT / MAK is [iMO] much more manageable in a restricted space.

Height of walls (6') can be used to advantage in blocking out the wind and stray neighbours lights, but you also need to consider how you (or the scope!) are going to see over them. Such influences pedestal height, need for a box to stand on etc. A few inches can make a big difference.

P.S. Despite all the above, I still managed to partition my 10x6 to include a small 6x4 warm(er) room and store! It's definitely "single user" or VERY close friends only though?