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"Velux" widefield platform...

Gonzo

By Gonzo
in DIY Observatories

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Gonzo

Gonzo

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... so as the HEQ5-pro will have to wait until I get the funds and the courage to spend that amount of cash on such mount... I'll be using my EQ1 a lot more for widefield astro photography.

I have a tripod I use when I'm at the front of the building, facing east. It's not great but it works :)

However, I discovered the other night that from my Velux roof window, facing west but view of south - west - north (building is aligned north to south), I can see polaris... WIN :)

I'm going to turn this 18mm plywood into a platform for my EQ1 out of the Velux window.

image_service.php?photo_id=1445&type=midimage_service.php?photo_id=1446&type=midimage_service.php?photo_id=1447&type=mid

The window is large enough for me to go through, so lots of space for a "platform"...

The reason I want to do this, is that on this side of the building I do have a LOT less light pollution than the front of the building.

From the front, I have the communal driveway light bollards, the street lights and other annoying lights.

From the back, I got none of that :)

I bought the plywood today, it's to motivate me. It's there, MUST do it now :(

Will be using Google Sketchup to draw the plans.

TBC....

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Gonzo

Gonzo

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fast forward to near finish box... which is being build for my lounge as a test box before I do the bedroom box

image_service.php?photo_id=1450&type=mid

brackets and some sealant

image_service.php?photo_id=1451&type=mid

fill it up with sand, for weight and to absorb any vibrations

image_service.php?photo_id=1452&type=mid

need to trim the sides so it looks nicer (more like a box than something else.....)

TBC...

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Gonzo

Gonzo

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And here's the finished box.

image_service.php?photo_id=1465&type=mid

image_service.php?photo_id=1466&type=mid

image_service.php?photo_id=1468&type=mid

image_service.php?photo_id=1469&type=mid

Could I have done it better, yes. Does it matter, not really. Haven't worked with wood for over 20 years now... I'm a bit rusty.

It will however matter a lot when I start my ultralight truss dobsonian....

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Nibor

Nibor

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Looking forward to seeing the platform in place with the scope in its working position. Presumably the idea would work for any windowsill where the open window gives enough clear view of an area of interesting sky?

Would non slip matting underneath the platform give extra stability and prevent slipping??

Am I right in thinking that the sill of your Velux is practically horizontal (ie your roof has a steep pitch)? My own Velux is in the ceiling with the sill at 75 degrees (ie almost vertical - my roof has a very shallow pitch) or am I missing something somewhere?? Or is a "lip" still to be fitted to the platform so as to hang over the Velux edge?

Good luck with the project - the ingenuity of astronomers never fails to impress me!!

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Gonzo

Gonzo

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this platform I've built, as you can see in the following picture

image_service.php?photo_id=1457&type=mid

is for the front room which has a conventional window. It was just a test to see if I could do it.

I'm rather please with the result so I will soon start the one for the Velux window.

Presumably the idea would work for any windowsill where the open window gives enough clear view of an area of interesting sky?

Yes that's the idea behind, but you'll have to be extra safe for obvious reasons...

Would non slip matting underneath the platform give extra stability and prevent slipping??

I will be getting a large f-clamp tomorrow to stop the box from moving completely (and to add that extra bit of safety) for the front window platform.

Am I right in thinking that the sill of your Velux is practically horizontal

Here's a very crude drawing I've done using TheGimp, it shows

black: room and roof

red: Velux window

green: platform

image_service.php?photo_id=1473&type=mid

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steelfixer

steelfixer

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Gonzo I have a question for you.

In your post you have text then a photo then text then photo ect ect.

How do you achieve this.

When ever I up load pics they are all lumped together at the end.

Nice job with the stand the edging rearly finishes it off.

thanks

Graham

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Gonzo

Gonzo

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Gonzo I have a question for you.

In your post you have text then a photo then text then photo ect ect.

How do you achieve this.

When ever I up load pics they are all lumped together at the end.

Hi Graham,

Let me try to explain my posts:

TEXT TEXT

empty line

PICTURE ([ img ] URL to pic [/ img]

empty line

PICTURE ([ img ] URL to pic [/ img]

TEXT TEXT

:)

Nice job with the stand the edging rearly finishes it off.

thanks

Graham

Thanks a lot. but 20+ odd years without doing such work... it shows :)

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Gonzo

Gonzo

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Well so far so good, the platform is doing its job quite well. The only which is not playing balls is the weather. I'm trying to precisely polar aligned the EQ1, but the clouds are winning :icon_salut:

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