A compact observatory even the wife approves

[DrRobin]

Hi,

I wanted to create an observatory in my back garden, but like many others, I am sure, it has to be balanced with other requirements, I.E. My wife.

So I looked for ways to create a compact, pack away observatory that even my wife would like/accept.

I was lucky having built a summerhouse and decking at the bottom of our garden a couple of years ago, see pictures, to which I added mains power.

The next post will show how this is transformed in to an observatory, imagine the theme from Thunderbirds......

[JamesM]

Robin, I am waiting with great expectation that your next post is going to include a scene from the film 'Transformers' where you summer house suddenly stands up, turns around and walks into the middle of the garden! I now I'm getting a little carried away but I am genuinely interested to see what you have done.

James

[faulksy]

Robin, I am waiting with great expectation that your next post is going to include a scene from the film 'Transformers' where you summer house suddenly stands up, turns around and walks into the middle of the garden! I now I'm getting a little carried away but I am genuinely interested to see what you have done.

James

[DrRobin]

Hi,

Part 2

I like the Transformers idea, but were looking at a low budget production here so it's still more like Thunderbirds.

Anyway, stage 2 starts by removing the steamer chairs and table on the decking in front of the summerhouse. I cut out a small section of decking about 600x500mm and made it into a trap door, which lifts out with two ring pulls.

Underneath this trap door, I dug a hole about 400mm deep and 500x500mm square. The hole was then filled with concrete and was topped off with a paving slab. I made sure the slab was very level before the concrete set using both a builders spirit level and a bullseye level mounted on a plate.

The concrete block is isolated from any of the decking joists or foundations to ensure that vibration through the decking isn't transmitted to the scope. The trap door cover ensures that no one walks on the slab, it keeps it clean and hidden when not in use, all essential requirements for a wife approved obs.

Next a modified butchers block table from Ikea (about £30) sits on top of the slab to provide a stable level surface for sitting my 10" dob on. The table is of heavy construction and was originally about 1 m tall before I took the circular saw to the legs and reduced it in height. I also had to move the legs in by about 150mm to ensure they fit on the slab and through the gap in the decking. A few pieces of rubber sheet on the shortened legs help reduce vibration from the ground. The table brings the height of the scope about 100mm and makes it a little more comfortable when observing.

Now for the scope, I keep it in the summerhouse and bought the nice pine blanket box from Newark Furniture to house it. They make two sizes, neither was quite right but they made a custom size for about £130, only £15 more than a standard size. It's good and solid, look nice and insulates the scope very well so the scope stays cool and dry. Again, it hides the scope and therefore meets the wife test, even if it was a little pricey.

The mount and table sit in another corner of the summerhouse, wife getting a bit concerned as she can see them, but I explain that they were very expensive and need to be kept somewhere safe, handy and dry, they could go in the living room, oh no hang on a minute the summerhouse is perfect.

Tomorrow's post will complete the series with the scope in position and my solution to dew and stray light.

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

Very nice

[Black Knight]

I like the Transformers idea, but were looking at a low budget production here so it's still more like Thunderbirds.

Hey, there's nothing wrong with Thunderbirds! I'm waiting for the animated GIF where the summerhouse slides back to reveal the scope being hydraulically raised out of a secret subterranean chamber, and the intrepid astronomer is seated in his observing chair after an exciting and hair-raising trip down a childrens garden slide! Can't wait!

[DrRobin]

Hi,

Nothing wrong with Thunderbirds at all, actually it's more apt since if I remember correctly one Thunderbird came out from below the swimming pool. Okay, I don't have a swimming pool but the decking is the next best thing. Thunderbirds also came out of a house whereas Transformers came from a machine.

Once converted, the summerhouse sofa makes a great place to sit whilst I am imaging, or if there isn't much happening, so splitting the summerhouse in half might be counter productive.

The summerhouse does have a shed at the back and I was thinking of putting a mezzanine floor in and get or make a dome, but then realised that vibration would be too great and went off the idea.

[damnut]

Hi DrRobin,

I too have a summerhouse at the bottom of the garden but if I converted it, certain divorce would happen and we would not have anywhere to put the 2.4m square hot tub :-)

[DrRobin]

Hi,

Hot tube is just like a swimming pool and therefore ideal to slide out of the way with your scope rising up from underneath, true Thunderbirds style. We live up north and hot tubes would get used about as much as sun block 50.

I justify all modifications to the summerhouse and decking by mentioning that it gets me out of the house on an evening, leaving her free to watch TV in peace, just as long as she doesn't come in to the back and put lights on!

When I mentioned about the mezzanine floor she wasn't that bothered, probably knew I was't serious. She was concerned about the hole in the decking but I pointed out that since it was me who built the decking and summerhouse in the first place it would be done neatly, seemed to work and avoided any mention of divorce.

[MjrTom]

A very ingenious way of dealing with the issue

I really like the concrete base hidden below the access panel and especially the case for your flex tube

[ScubaMike]

if I remember correctly one Thunderbird came out from below the swimming pool.

It was Thunderbird One, not one thunderbird pft!!

[Photosbykev]

personally I would go for a telescope mounted on Thunderbird 5, no worries about cloud cover or LP.

[Gina]

Hey, there's nothing wrong with Thunderbirds! I'm waiting for the animated GIF where the summerhouse slides back to reveal the scope being hydraulically raised out of a secret subterranean chamber, and the intrepid astronomer is seated in his observing chair after an exciting and hair-raising trip down a childrens garden slide! Can't wait!

Ooooohhhh!! I like it

[JamesM]

Great pictures Robin and my excitement was justified. Now I mentioned earlier the film "Transformers" but then when I looked at the top two pictures of the decking, the film "The Great Escape" suddenly came to mind and I can just imagine popping round to find a german officer pouring some water on that concrete to listen to see if in fact it is an entrance to your latest tunnel! In addition, I'm now not convinced that what I'm looking at is a summer house at all, in the context of the above film, I would suggest that it is in fact the "cooler" and its where your wife sends you Robin after your latest failed attempt to escape! :D I'm sure I can see a baseball glove and ball in that wooden box!

Great setup and very ingenious. Look forward to seeing the complete set up but be it would probably be better not to include any pictures with barbwire in them!

Clear skies

James

[DrRobin]

Hi,

Thanks for all the replies. Thunderbird One it was, I couldn't remember which one it was and was too lazy to go and look it up.

For any ladies looking in on the thread replace wife for husband in all posts.

[DrRobin]

Hi,

Final Part - Mounting the scope and dealing with dew

The decking is clear, the trap door up and the table in place, next the mount is lifted in to place and the scope fitted. After connection of the normal cables and controllers the scope is getting ready for alignment, all standard set up stuff.

I have light pollution from street lights here, the back garden is reasonably dark and direct light from street lights are shielded by houses, but there as I live quite close to Newcastle there is quite a lot of sky glow, still that is taken care of with a filter.

I also suffer from stray light escaping from house lights with several of my neighbours who leave lights on upstairs with no curtains drawn and with the look of no one in the room. My own house appears to be one of the guilty parties as well. Throw in the odd security light and it can be like sitting on a flood lit pitch some times.

I hit on the idea of getting a gazebo with sides to act as a light shield and also with the roof in place it stops some of the dew falling from above after sitting in one at a party. It's no good if you want to look straight up, but that doesn't appear to happen very often.

The gazebo was bought from eBay and is black and has four sides, although two of them have windows which are no good to look through and don't block the stray light either. It's also water resistant and is a pop up type. It takes about 10 minutes to put up and I added castors to allow it to be moved into and out of position and to rotate it easily.

I don't use it if it's windy, but then I seldom use my scope if it's windy either and it does have the bonus that if rain comes across I can quickly cover the scope up until it has passed, or pack up in the dry.

I only use it if it looks like dew or stray light is going to be problem, 10 minutes is 10 minutes when you are rushing to get set up.

I hope these three articles have given someone a few pointers or at least mild amusement?

[Moonshane]

what a top idea. great that you managed to fit your hobby around something useful at other times for the family too!

[damnut]

Hi DrRobin,

Great Thread, sorted out the streetlight near my garden with two lengths of 3m batten gaffer taped together, dogs leg paint brush on the end and a tin of hammerite - result dark garden. Pic on my profile!!

Cheers

[DrRobin]

Nice, not sure the local council will approve though. Actually if you ask them they will fit a screen to the lights if it is close to your house and causes a problem.

[GrahamJ]

Many thanks for your responds,your level of diy is obviously better than mine.

[nephilim]

Hi DrRobin,

Great Thread, sorted out the streetlight near my garden with two lengths of 3m batten gaffer taped together, dogs leg paint brush on the end and a tin of hammerite - result dark garden. Pic on my profile!!

Cheers

I like that idea very much, I've written to my council and if they refuse the shield (they refuse ANYTHING that involves spending the money they steal off me on anything us taxpayers want or need) This will be the route I'll go down aswell, seems a little safer than the C4 I was planning on using (That WAS a joke by the way)

Steve

[damnut]

Hi Nephilim,

The council said they would move the light for 4K!!!!My councilor at the time said she would have taken a shotgun to it.. However when the bulb has gone and had to be replaced the council chaps, bless em, have always put the shade back in the right place. 8 years on its just about ready for another coat!!

Good luck with your one.

Cheers