Seems it's that time already

[jacksdad]

Well, my son has had his scope for less than a month, and we've discovered enough excuses to get building... I'm sure they've been recounted many times already, but still.

 

Given his age, there's not much dark before bedtime, so getting the kit outside and acclimated makes for very short sessions.

 

Also, our exceptionally reliable weather (;)) means that chances are we plan to go out, get everything outside and it clouds over.

 

Apparently, a 150pl isn't a suitable living room decoration. I'm currently leaving it all set up so I can just pick up the whole caboodle and plonk it outside - packing it up every time would make already short sessions even shorter.

 

So, a shed thingy it is then!

 

This isn't going to be a very quick build but I thought I might as well start nattering about it right from the start.

 

So far, I've started clearing an otherwise unused corner of the garden and I thought it'd be fun to do a 'horizon survey' - I've got a few pics and some details which I'll post in a bit.

[Alan White]

Hello Jacksdad, 

Is this a shed to store the scope or a full on observatory build?
Either way its a great idea.

Look forward to seeing some build pictures.

 

[bottletopburly]

33 minutes ago, jacksdad said:

Well, my son has had his scope for less than a month, and we've discovered enough excuses to get building... I'm sure they've been recounted many times already, but still.

 

Given his age, there's not much dark before bedtime, so getting the kit outside and acclimated makes for very short sessions.

 

Also, our exceptionally reliable weather (;)) means that chances are we plan to go out, get everything outside and it clouds over.

 

Apparently, a 150pl isn't a suitable living room decoration. I'm currently leaving it all set up so I can just pick up the whole caboodle and plonk it outside - packing it up every time would make already short sessions even shorter.

 

So, a shed thingy it is then!

 

This isn't going to be a very quick build but I thought I might as well start nattering about it right from the start.

 

So far, I've started clearing an otherwise unused corner of the garden and I thought it'd be fun to do a 'horizon survey' - I've got a few pics and some details which I'll post in a bit.

 Not sure Who`s more excited Dad or Son 

[jacksdad]

29 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Hello Jacksdad, 

Is this a shed to store the scope or a full on observatory build?
Either way its a great idea.

Look forward to seeing some build pictures.

 

Might as well be observatory (that's what I had planned anyway) to properly reduce setup and pack up time. Being able to do an hour's observing because we've got an hour spare is the goal.

 

I've done not much more than decide on a site as far as planning goes, so the design is somewhat fluid right now... It also depends on what materials we can scrounge up as to how and when it'll get done. 

 

I (/we) also want to have a go at imaging too, so it would give us better opportunity to do this - like make a start together and I can either leave stuff running and/or go back out later.

19 minutes ago, bottletopburly said:

 Not sure Who`s more excited Dad or Son 

I'd say it's a good 50/50

 

I like building things, he likes helping and we both like looking up, so it makes sense.

[jacksdad]

So, my 'horizon survey'.

 

One of the things I had to clear out of the way was a small tree type thing which I'd cut down, but left a stump (lever to help remove root). This is about 75cm high.

 

I trimmed the top off so it was level enough to work with, then marked out compass points (every 22.5°) and cut a vertical slot. Then, in those slots I inserted a digital angle gauge which I leveled with a spirit level and then sighted along to find the angle of the horizon at each compass point. It's easier to do than explain, but maybe a picture...

 

 

From this, I could note the viewable angle to the horizon at each point, and also approximate the rough direction of notable features/obstructions. These numbers could then be plotted on a graph to give a representation of my visible sky.

 

Because I'm a bit weird, I did my graph on paper - using a pencil and everything 

 

 

It actually looks much much worse than it is in reality as the two axes aren't to the same scale - azimuth is on X with 7.5° per division - altitude on Y with 1° per division. Nothing tops 20° and anything that gets close is a point anyway 

 

The accuracy probably isn't fantastic - the bearings are referenced from magnetic north, but the current dec here is apparently around 1° at the moment and I'm pretty sure I couldn't resolve to that figure anyway - same with the alt measurements, they're only as accurate as my sighting and spirit level but I did round up to the next half degree...

 

I think that the chosen site should work quite well.

[jacksdad]

This evening has been destumping the site...

 

One out, two to go.

 

I've just come in, and I would go and take a picture but it'd strongly resemble a dark frame

[jacksdad]

So, not much has been happening really - I've had dull stuff like work, boo...

 

Still, the groundwork is coming along slowly.

 

Also, today I went to price up a job.

 

I have to dismantle and remove a...

 

 

 

...roll off roof observatory! Complete with all the mechanism for the powered roof, fittings and benches from inside, red lighting - basically everything except an ota, pc and chair.

 

It'll need significant remodelling to work, but it gives us rails, wheels, motor etc. as well as a load of usable materials like shiplap cladding. The current owners are happy it's not ending up as landfill too.

 

Sometimes, life gives you something other than lemons

[AKB]

36 minutes ago, jacksdad said:

Sometimes, life gives you something other than lemons

What a fabulous bit of luck. Delighted for you!  

[jacksdad]

I must remember to take pictures when it's light out...

 

Well, got some more groundwork done - this bit is quite tedious, but essential.

 

The area we're working with is sort of made up ground, it's about 2' above the original level and quite loose. It means I have to skim all that soil (and stones, and lumps of concrete) off to get back down to a starting point. No point trying to build onto something likely to shift...

 

So, probably around 2-3 tonnes of 'stuff' to stick elsewhere in the garden.

[jacksdad]

Well this afternoon I started trying to figure out how to dismantle the obsy I mentioned (yes, I got the job).

 

If anyone recognises this, let me know

 

[jacksdad]

Did I say this would be a slow build? If I didn't, then it will be... For a start, I've got to build a new chicken enclosure first.

 

Anyway, I was roughly planning around a shed type affair with some form of roll off.

 

Last night, a large spanner got thrown in the works though. The wife looks up and shows me a picture on her phone - "I think a dome would look nicer than another shed".

[MikeP]

How funny.  I've not long removed a chicken run to make space for my roll off roof build.

Mike