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Gina's Observatory - The Build


Gina

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The clouds parted and I've had some clear skies :icon_confused:

Took some DSLR pics of the moon. Tried to get the SPN900NC to view it - I got a very dim image until it moved out of view.

From this session I have come to some conclusions :-

1. The Synscan handset is unusable in practice as it keeps coming up with the warning message about not looking at the sun, which takes an age to scroll through. Once it's finished, it is possible to set a few things up but as soon as I try to use the handset for any real scope work the warning message comes up again. So I guess I'll have to wait until I've got computer control sorted out.

2. The scope needs a proper finder. I may use a CCTV camera with an old Pentax lens attached to the camera mount on one of the rings to provide a finder. That would mean I wouldn't be trying to twist my body into all sorts of strange positions to point the scope.

3. It's a cold night with a bit of a breeze but will be much colder in the real winter so I really do need to get the warm room partitioned off properly and drive the scope from there. It wasn't my body that got cold (I was well wrapped up) but my fingers.

4. I think the scope would be better a bit lower and sacrifice near horizon viewing. I can remove the mount extension to lower it by 8". Having it lower would have 2 advantages, the walls would keep the wind off better and I could reach the eyepiece without having to use a ladder. I was thinking of doing this if I buy a 10" scope anyway, though now I'm wondering if a 10" will be too big.

I was going to order the new scope 2nd week in December when I shall have the funds available, but I might leave my final decision until I've got things sorted out more in the obsy. I would love a 10" Newt but I think I mustn't be too hasty.

This Celestron Astromaster 130 EQ wants collimating and I have ordered a Cheshire collimating tool from FLO. I think the scope might be quite a bit better after collimating.

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Today's Progress.

Mainly dry but rained this afternoon.

1. Fixed (hopefully) leak at bottom SW corner of roll off.

2. Removed warm room south window frame and painted it with wood preserver, also edges of shiplap.

3. Added plastic angle underneath window sill to stop rain getting into top of shiplap below window.

4. Applied wood preserver to east obsy wall (while waiting for warm room window frame to dry off).

5. Applied wood preserver to obsy window exterior parts.

6. Placed two old radiators on concrete blocks, in front of warm room door to bridge the mud and stop it tramping inside.

7. Replaced window frame.

8. Started raining so had to replace window pane in a hurry. Further sealing to be done later.

Five DSLR photos today.

2011-11-30-01.jpg

2011-11-30-02.jpg

Best photo I could get of the outside of the obsy east wall due to being very close to the boundary.

2011-11-30-03.jpg

2011-11-30-04.jpg

2011-11-30-05.jpg

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nice work Gina, won't be long now. Careful you don't slip on those metal radiators, would hate for any accidents this close to completion.
Thank you Carl ;) I am being careful, I realise gloss painted metal can be slippery, particularly when wet. That's why I put them corrugated side up - rain runs off in the grooves and less stays on the top but I have wondered if I could apply non-slip paint or maybe glue on deck non-slip matting. Whilst it's supposed to be temporary until I get gravel and paving stones down, I realise how long "temporary" can be ;)
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Gina, No need to read all the warnings when booting up with a handset just hit return it moves you to the next screen....
Yes, I know that's what's supposed to happen, but it doesn't on mine - I think it might be faulty. I have used it a bit in the past by waiting for the warning to finish but it's annoying. In fact I don't really like the handset and would much prefer to use computer control. To that end I have ordered an EQDIR box from FLO and will install EQMOD and all the bits to do it that way. I want to do imaging and it all fits in with that.

In view of that I'm thinking of changing my mind about which scope to get next and going for a small refractor viz. ED80 :- First Light Optics - Skywatcher Evostar 80ED DS-Pro Outfit ... That is under £60 more than the SW 250 PDS that I was thinking of getting. If you take in an extra £30 for an extra weight I'm told I would need for the big Newt, the difference is even less.

I'm thinking of treating myself to a scope as a Christmas present to myself ;)

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Gina, regarding the hand controller. I don't have an EQ6 but to me it sounds like you have not set the date/time and coordinates for your location. Otherwise it should not come up with a Sun warning in the middle of the night.

Also, I have a feeling that a 10" newton will not fit into your obsy. These do swing around quite a bit when slewing. If you do change your mind and think about a 10", I would recommend making up a mock-up of the exact size of the scope you were looking at (e.g. roll some cardboard into a tube of the exact length and diameter), then put that onto your mount and slew around and see if it can move freely in all directions. Also take into consideration that the scope needs to be moved relative to the mount in order to balance it, so it doesn't always just sit in the middle.

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Hi Gina, that's the one I've ordered from Rother Valley, I do hope its the right decision. Also ordered some other goodies too, just awaiting a phone call to say its all arrived! Like waiting for Xmas.
Great ;)
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Gina, regarding the hand controller. I don't have an EQ6 but to me it sounds like you have not set the date/time and coordinates for your location. Otherwise it should not come up with a Sun warning in the middle of the night.
It lost it's settings and when I tried to put them in again I couldn't get out of setup without getting the warning again. Then the settings had gone again. The jump starter, which I'm using to power the mount, is charged up and showing a good charge/voltage on it's meter but I'll try it again when I've got a mains PSU in case it is voltage that's the problem.
Also, I have a feeling that a 10" newton will not fit into your obsy. These do swing around quite a bit when slewing. If you do change your mind and think about a 10", I would recommend making up a mock-up of the exact size of the scope you were looking at (e.g. roll some cardboard into a tube of the exact length and diameter), then put that onto your mount and slew around and see if it can move freely in all directions. Also take into consideration that the scope needs to be moved relative to the mount in order to balance it, so it doesn't always just sit in the middle.
I think you could well be right. It would pretty certainly want the mount extension taken out if I wanted to test things with the roof closed. And looking at other peoples photos I have seen that those are usually well off the middle position in the rings. My 5" is in the middle but the EP payload is relatively much greater than it would be on a 10". Making a mock would be a very good idea - I'll certainly do that if I go for anything much longer than my present scope. I think the ED80 is about the same length or not much more.

I've now made up my mind and decided to go for the ED80 next and see how I get on. I think it should do for both DSOs and planets (with Barlow). I reckon that'll do me for a good year or two ;) Later on I can reconsider my options.

Camera-wise I'll start off with webcam(s) and my current DSLR. May upgrade the DSLR to a dedicated mono CCD camera, filters and home-made filter wheel and control motor/servo. I think I would be wasting my money to buy another DSLR to dedicate to AP.

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Last night's torrential rain and very high wind didn't penetrate my obsy anywhere except the unsealed warm room south window. The fix I did on the roll off was successful ;)

I have now sealed the window pane into the frame with silicone sealant and held it with wooden battens, so that should now be waterproof. We are due for more heavy rain and high winds later today so that should test it ;)

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Hi Gina. good to see you have stopped the water ingress and made temporary ramp to get you over that pooling at the door . as said above be caerfull on the slippery surface. as for the warm room you will note the difrence when you get that hardboard up.

I have been looking back at some of the dslr images you have posted of the observatory side, with the eq6 mount in and the ones with your present scope in situ. you have more than enough room for a 10 inch scope in there. i think you are trying to fulfill all your needs i.e. you want to test things with the roof closed. Fair comment and i can see why you might want to. but dont get caught choosing to get the obsy working to it abilities with the roof closed. you want it to be working to the best of its abilities with the roof open and then it will not matter what size scope you have in there ( within reason).

any testing can be done on the mount without the scope in situ except the go accuracy accuracy but once that has been done it has been done. it will only be rarely that that will have to be done again. what testing were you thinking of? i will PM you in a mo

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Gina, regarding the hand controller. I don't have an EQ6 but to me it sounds like you have not set the date/time and coordinates for your location. Otherwise it should not come up with a Sun warning in the middle of the night.

All my SW handsets display the Sun warning regardless of the time of day. Hitting ESC cancels it.

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Last night's torrential rain and very high wind didn't penetrate my obsy anywhere except the unsealed warm room south window. The fix I did on the roll off was successful :)

I have now sealed the window pane into the frame with silicone sealant and held it with wooden battens, so that should now be waterproof. We are due for more heavy rain and high winds later today so that should test it ;)

Hi Gina

Yes last night was quite a tester. I was sat in my spare room at 3am watching for my obsy roof to sail off into the country side. ;) All was good thankfully. Glad yours was Ok. :)

Regarding your HS, perhaps a firmware update or reinstall may help.

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Hi Gina. good to see you have stopped the water ingress and made temporary ramp to get you over that pooling at the door . as said above be caerfull on the slippery surface. as for the warm room you will note the difrence when you get that hardboard up.

I have been looking back at some of the dslr images you have posted of the observatory side, with the eq6 mount in and the ones with your present scope in situ. you have more than enough room for a 10 inch scope in there. i think you are trying to fulfill all your needs i.e. you want to test things with the roof closed. Fair comment and i can see why you might want to. but dont get caught choosing to get the obsy working to it abilities with the roof closed. you want it to be working to the best of its abilities with the roof open and then it will not matter what size scope you have in there ( within reason).

any testing can be done on the mount without the scope in situ except the go accuracy accuracy but once that has been done it has been done. it will only be rarely that that will have to be done again. what testing were you thinking of? i will PM you in a mo

Got your PM and replied ;)

I agree that a lot of testing can be done with the roof open and that there may well be enough room for a 10" Newt, just. But I have been considering many things including what I want to use a scope for. With imaging being my main thing I've decided to go for a refractor - the ED80. I can always save up for something else later if I want to.

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All my SW handsets display the Sun warning regardless of the time of day. Hitting ESC cancels it.
Except that doesn't work on mine! ;)

Anyway, I received my EQDIR box today so will be setting up computer control shortly.

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Hi Gina

Yes last night was quite a tester. I was sat in my spare room at 3am watching for my obsy roof to sail off into the country side. ;) All was good thankfully. Glad yours was Ok. ;)

Regarding your HS, perhaps a firmware update or reinstall may help.

I think it should all be totally watertight now - glad yours was OK too :)

I might try a firmware reinstall later but probably won't bother for a while if EQDIR, EQMOD, ASCOM, Cartes-du-Ciel etc. etc. work OK. Must have a read up and set things up.

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I can't believe you bought an EQDIR when they are so easy to make yourself.. ;)
Yeah, well, I want to spend my time on the obsy build or getting things going rather than fiddling with tiny soldering jobs ;)
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