How high for the Pier?

[DMouse]

Hi, I am bout to start building my astro shed this week and have been doing some calculations on how high my pier should be. Based on the shed being 8 foot by 10 foot and that South is in a corner. The pier will be in the middle. I am planning on using a 12 inch Newtonian scope on my EQ8.
So to be able to see down to 10 degrees from the horizon, what height does the base of the EQ8 have to be?

The shed wall is 6 foot 4 inches.
So the distance to the corner is Square root of (8*8 + 10*10) / 2 = 6 foot 4.8 inches.
The height of the base of the EQ8 mount from the DEC axis is approx. 10 inches. When the scope is pointing south at 10 degrees the bottom of the OTA at the DEC axis would be
7 inches lower than the axis.
This point can be X = Tan(10) * 6 foot 4.8 inches. which is 13.5 inches, below the wall height.
20 degrees would be for example X = Tan(20) * 76.8 = 27.95 inches

So the height of the base plate of the EQ8 should be 13.5 + (10 - 7) below the wall height ie 16.5 inches and therefore with the wall being 76 inches, 59.5 inches from the floor.
 
This seems very high. I guess the other option is to have a flip down wall in the south? Or buy an RC or SCT ;-)

Clear Skies

Paul

[r3i]

There are a few design options you can use to maximise the viewing:

1. Flip down wall as you've already mentioned.
2. Make the wall heights lower and incorporate the remainder into the rolling roof - Olly Penrice and Gina have done this in their observatories to name a couple
3. Have a lifting column built into the pier such as one of these - http://www.pier-tech.com/pier-tech2_telescope_pier.htm Not cheap but rather cool

[wuthton]

There are a few design options you can use to maximise the viewing:

1. Flip down wall as you've already mentioned.

2. Make the wall heights lower and incorporate the remainder into the rolling roof - Olly Penrice and Gina have done this in their observatories to name a couple

3. Have a lifting column built into the pier such as one of these - http://www.pier-tech.com/pier-tech2_telescope_pier.htm Not cheap but rather cool

I'd be amazed if that pier maintains accurate polar alignment. 

Very nice boy's toy though!

[laser_jock99]

The short answer is- as high as you can make it while still closing the 'lid' with your biggest (future?) scope on it.

It's possible to 'park' a large scope in such a way to gain extra height.

I can still peer over the wall at low elavations