Observatory checklist.

[Earl]

Have a missed anything? or are there usefull additions?

Extension from house also carrys Lan (Lan cable can be used if needed hoever using the mains extension has been fine)

UPS power filter unit, will alow 5 mins of shutdown

Maplin PSU for scope gear

While on power is it possible to have a battery in-inline to tak over in case of power cut and still provide full functionality for the rest of the session.

Dome control has a solar and battery backup.

Remote control LED lighting both red and white.

Dehumidifier

                      Extraction Fan, are theses needed if a dehumififer is been used?

Powered 10 port USB 3 Hub

Laptop

Scope and all gear etc

(considering a dedicated NAS for storage 2TB will be plenty)

[pete_l]

Weather station (or at least: in/out thermometer), GPS clock, music,  phone charger, table/worktop for notebook & references, adjustable height chair, set of screwdrivers & spanners, soldering iron, wastepaper basket, conveyor belt, sliding doors ...

[wuthton]

Kitchen sink?

I use a m-itx pc mounted on the pier that I run headless over remote desktop. It takes the USB hub out of the equation, they've caused me nothing but trouble in the past.

[BlueAstra]

Are you planning to build an observatory, or fitting out one already built? Here's the thread on my observatory shed build. I use LAN over the mains, but it is slow. My mains power is via a conduit from the garage. I am thinking of installing a direct LAN cable to the house, since once the scope is up and running I move control to the house PC via remote desktop. Another option is fibre cable with a LAN transmit/receive box at each end. This has the advantage of long cable runs and no interference possible on the LAN cable. I have a thermostatically controlled extraction fan since it can get very hot inside during the day in summer/full sun. I also have a timer controlled dehumidifier which comes on in the evening and at dawn.

[baggywrinkle]

Wine rack......

[leelee970]

Bottle opener (to go with wine rack).

Some sort of security system. Alot of money invested.

Lee

[Earl]

Thanks for the input so far, GPS is sorted, weather station just needs erecting, Dome comes with Security option too

There will be very little visual use so i dont need to consider creature comforts

Just gave away most of the wine rack contents, it was full before xmas and my stroke, and not had a drop out of it since........ a few bottles of white if Becky fancies a drop.

[astronymonkey]

intercom to house ?

[rwg]

Is a GPS is really necessary? I don't suppose the obsy will be moving around and your PC will pick up the correct time over the internet anyway

I started with WIFI - which was very slow, then tried powerline networking which was just slow and went for a LAN cable in the end - much less frustrating when you are trying to transfer 100s of Mb of data at the end of a session.

You wouldn't want to run a dehumidifier and a fan at the same time (or the fan will be blowing out your dry air and sucking in moist air through the cracks). Both might be useful at times though.

Inline battery backup sounds like a big UPS really - presumably not much point in keeping the 12v stuff running if your PC has shut down. Unless you have an awful lot of power cuts then is anything beyond the dome shutting if the power goes out really necessary?

I've certainly ended up buying a lot of little bits and pieces to get my observatory running - some include :

A decent chair to sit on - even if you plan to remote control the PC from indoors, there are times when you need to be out there driving the PC (and cursing it, etc). I've been seriously considering an illuminated keyboard too.

A very large number of USB cables extensions in various lengths, maybe a hub or two if you can't get the cable to work in one run from the PC to the camera/whatever. Something to keep all the cables tidy - the double sided velcro tape is good (hooks on one side, loops on other, cut a length and wrap it round).

Storage boxes for all the adaptors, etc that you won't want to be going inside for once you've go the obsy. Also possibly for extra scopes if you are happy leaving them outside.

cheers,

Robin

[pete_l]

There will be very little visual use so i dont need to consider creature comforts

If its operation is going to be unattended, I'd give some serious thought to installing a smoke detector. a LOUD one.

[astronymonkey]

You wouldn't want to run a dehumidifier and a fan at the same time (or the fan will be blowing out your dry air and sucking in moist air through the cracks). Both might be useful at times though.

Id agree with with RWG's comment here although I have seen recently a small extractor fan , the sort on a PC I believe, that was solar powered and so only kicked in on sunny days when the Obs was getting warm. I think the intention was to just have it running to keep the air circulating. An alternative may be a heat operated air vent as Ive used one in a greenhouse before and they are basically a gas filled tube which expands the piston when it warms up and pushes the vent open, you can adjust the system to only come open at certain temps and the are less than £30.

Cheers

[rwg]

Ah, another thought. If you are currently using a laptop for imaging then bite the bullet and buy a dedicated PC for the observatory. Leaving all the USB kit connected up rather than plugging and unplugging at the start/end of a session makes a big difference. I bought a basic 'Zoostorm' brand one from Ebuyer for about £220, installed windows and picked up a monitor for a fiver from a car boot sale.

cheers,

Robin

[Bukko]

HI, Earl,

sounds like a neat set up you are planning.

As Robin said, a desktop will give you a lot more USB ports, to save on the powered hubs, etc.

We got a cheap £30 fleabay HP mini sized base unit and set it up to control everything.

Instead of using a monitor with it, we connect in using Remote Desktop, so there is no stray light from a monitor while imaging. We have a BIG desktop for image processing and while aligning, etc. take an old laptop out and use the remote desktop for setting up, centering and focusing, etc. the rig before retiring to the warm and the big screened PC for image capture. We transfer the subs from the dome PC tothe indoors, so we get away with a little one in the dome.

Over and above your original shopping list, do you have the Bahitonov mask for focusing and a light panel for flats?

Good luck.

Gordon.