planned observatory

[lukeyboy]

Hello there,

I have been reading lately on how various people have built their own observatories and i am very keen to get my own up and running.

My background is that i am a complete novice with a skywatcher 250 on a HEQ5 mount, I love to spend hours in the garden just observing. From reading various threads i have decided that i am going to build a roll on roll off roof so the scope can be permanently set up so i can increase the actual observing time.

I have laid the foundations last year (when it was gonna be a shed) so this has thrown up a few questions for me.

A) Do i need a pier mount even if i do not intend to do imaging or just stick with HEQ5 ?

If a pier mount is the better way to go then can it be built on top of existing foundation or will i need to lift the slabs and dig through the hardcore ?

C) lastly what kind of costs am i looking at for the pier and all the associated accessories bearing in mind that i am not as resourceful as a lot of you who have built your own, I can do the shed part though

Any thoughts are appreciated

Luke

[blinky]

Hi Luke,

My opinions!

1/ No, but a pier will obviously take up less space than the tripod legs, also a Pier (i think0 will make it easier to see objects round the zenith as sometimes the scope will hit the tripod legs.

2/ If you really are not going to be imaging then again, I dont think so. The pier is to make a steady vibration free platform.

3/ I dont think building a pier is too expensive. You will need to get somebody to manufacture the head adapter so that you can mount the HEQ5 head, alternativly you could make one from wood. I think Gepetto did this so have a look for his thread. You will need a pipe to fill with concrete or you can make a box with plywood and fill that instead. Thats about it really!

Since you are going to the trouble of getting a roll off roof I would consider getting a pier, you could also buy a ready made pier for around £150

[MikeD]

Hi Luke,

A) I would say if you have no intention to ever go down the imaging route you will be fine to just treat the ods as a cover for your existing set up (ie scope on tripod) as long as you isolate the Scope/tripod from the rest of the obs, so that you moving around in the obs dose not cause vibrations and spoil the view.

The only possible problem is you will be in a confined space so the tripod legs may become a bit of a pain.

How big is the obs going to be?

If you can afford the extra time and money go for a pier, but it will be a lot more work as if you are going to do it you may as well do it right,you never know you might want to try your hand at imaging in a few years time.

The pier and foundation will need to be isolated from the obs and securely attached to mother Earth, so you will need to lift the slabs and put in some form of foundation into the ground (I went for a 3ft x 3ft x 3ft foundation for the pier but some say that is over kill but I figured better to over do it than under do it) to attach the pier to.

C). my 1 tonne concrete base cost me around £80 ( but I did blag free delivery of the ballast saving £30)

and I got my pier made to my design free of charge through my brothers compony so can't comment on pier costs.

Hope this helps or at least gives you food for thought.

Mike

[barkis]

Luke, I know you seem pretty adamant about not ever going down the imaging road. I bet there are thousands of amateurs who have said that, only to reverse their decision down the line.

As Craig said, a pier maybe a bit harder workwise to install, but you will save a bit of room. Knocking into the pier will not move your carefully aligned polar axis, (Not that it needs accuracy for viewing only.).

In your shoes, and going to the lengths of making an Observatory, I would definitely build a sturdy pier. Just In Case

Ron.

[radioactive]

Now then Lukey

You have put flagstones down so it wont be very hard to pull one up in the centre of the observing room dig down a couple of feet then line the edges all 4 with polystyrene tile 1" will do get some rebar (re-enforcing steel) ready

thing is now are we going to have a wooden or breezeblock building or what if its brick or breeze or both I would dig out a footing trench around the edge of your existing base don't forget if you are putting a mains electric line in now is the time to plan it out its things like this you should do first mate I know you said you don't want it for images no what you meant was not yet!!! you want to think where you want to be in your hobby three or four years from now thats when your setup may not be able to cope with what you want to do so make plans for it now and cut out a lot of bovver later

just your bit about doing the shed though so that must be the wooden option then makes things lots easier then nuff said for now then mate

[lukeyboy]

yeah i think you are all saying what i was thinking but me being a bit lazy sometimes i think i was looking for the easy route.

Basically i think I'm gonna do the pier it does make sense and i had not thought of the fact that the pier will save me space.

I'm gonna lift some slabs and sort that base out firstly though, luckily i have electrics already piped down there so thats one thing dealt with.

Also blinky you mention that one can be bought for £150 can you point me in the direction of where please (thats the lazy side of me rearing its head again).

Cheers for advice guys I'm going to look at your various threads again of your builds then put my plans into action.

I will take photos and post progress when i can

Luke

[blinky]

You could get this and cement it in. http://www.pulsar-optical.co.uk/prod/pillarmount/heq5.html

[lukeyboy]

oh i see what you mean yeah thats certainly an option but i think i will try and design my own and see how i go cheers anyway.

[radioactive]

I would give you a hand but I'm doing my hair that night :shock:

No you live just too far away mate

[Stardust]

you can see pics of my build here http://www.iseestars.net/?pgid=user-images&input=161

DAve

[lukeyboy]

great looking obs Dave did you make that pier yourself, i am currently trying to find a fabricator in northampton to see if i can get one made up.

[Stardust]

Thanks Lukeyboy

I'm very pleased with the way it turned out. The pier was made by a friend from the local engineering works. There must be a small firm around you. Or better still ask around to find someone who can do a private job. I'll have to put a picture up of mine, turned out very well.

good luck

DAve

[Stardust]

Oh I forgot about the pier picture. That was my No1 pier made for my LX10 but before the obsy was finished I bought an LX200 10", that pier was too high so a shorter one was made that's even better. It has 2 10x40mm bars running up either side and is filled with play sand. The first pier I gave to my friend who helped me with the building work who happens to have a LX10. Are you putting an EQ mount on yours?

DAve

[Helen]

Here's a picture of Dave's second pier which we took when we went to have a look at his (great) observatory!

(click to enlarge)

Helen

[lukeyboy]

Yeah I'm gonna put a HEQ5 on it, talking about height of piers i was gonna make mine about 3 foot as that is the height of the tripod roughly. When i have the scope looking straight up the eyepiece is very high so i don't think it needs to be much higher than that what do you think ?

That second pier looks top notch

Luke

[Stardust]

Thanks Helen, saves me a job.

When I decided on the height of the pier it was by using the working height of the tripod. It was based on how low down I could see as that will put the eyepiece at the highest point.

I thought I'd time it tonight from walking out the door, unlocking, roof off, powering up and at the eyepiece, drum roll..... 3.5 mins.

Dave

[lukeyboy]

not bad going at all, i tried to save a bit of time tonight by moving the scope and mount together and my back did not like it at all.

Roll on having an obsevatory.