Size of observatory

[mckinnell]

I am trying to gauge as to what is thought to be the best size of shed to use as an observatory; i shall as i have noted in other threads, my wanting to convert the standard pent roof style shed, in my own opinion being the best overall shape re removal of roof, BUT, am not to sure as to what the inner dimensions for the actual scope and mount would or should be need to be, as,  this would naturally impact the over all size of the shed proper, so, what would be the best as such size re shed for a NEQ6PRO 300PDS Skywatcher system, i understand if it seems to many as liken to a piece of string etc, but, i really do wish to get as many answers from any and all regarding this issue as it really will decide the area that i can use in relationship to the end build, if this makes any scence, hope so, if not, very sorry, but it's the best way i can put it,.

 

                                                                                                                                      Grateful thanks and regards to all,              Tom.

[Gina]

Looks like at least 3 metres square to me - that's a big scope.  Of course, it depends if you want to use it for observing or remote imaging.  The latter only needs to be big enough to swing the scope.

[mckinnell]

Hi Gina, thanks for the swift response, yes, would want to do at least a 180 shift, and BTW, yep, it is a big`un, my wife's response to seeing its arrival is not for public note lol lol , but since last October when i purchased the BEAST, i have succumbed to some leg and hand problems, nothing to bad you understand, having vein trouble in legs and type 2 plus phlebitis just going, it has left the old legs a little worn so, best to get an observatory for the little monster and then i will be sorted, and that's including erecting said shed but i hope i might get some help in that area, so as you see, size and space is very important both for the scope and yours truly.

 

                                                                                            Thanks again Gina and best regards,                                Tom.

[andyboy1970]

My Obsy is a shade under 8 foot x 6 foot and it is OK with my 200p but it can be quite close to the walls in certain positions, certainly couldn't go any bigger in the Newtonians.

[JamesF]

Perhaps visiting a garden centre that has sheds set up for viewing accompanied by a suitably-size piece of cardboard might be helpful :)  Alternatively you could set everything up on the tripod and then slew the OTA around the sky marking out the footprint covered by dropping a plumb line to the ground at regular intervals?

James

[Moonshane]

I'd also account for visual now as despite your current preferences, you don't want to make an obs that just squeezes it in for imaging but would not be big enough if you ever wanted to do a bit of visual. That said, a 300p on an EQ mount would lead to some 'interesting' positions for visual.

[Yawning Angel]

2.4m a side is a good starting size, and it matches up with the standard size of a lot of building materials (sheet material is usually 2.4m x 1.2m, for example)  

[JamesF]

17 minutes ago, Yawning Angel said:

2.4m a side is a good starting size, and it matches up with the standard size of a lot of building materials (sheet material is usually 2.4m x 1.2m, for example)  

That was a figure I had in my head too.  I reckon anything smaller would probably be quite a squeeze.

James

[Carbon Brush]

My observatory started life as a 10x8 shed with pent roof.

The idea being to 'swing' a decent size scope on an EQ mount I needed an 8ft (2.4M) square shed.

The pier was placed off centre - splitting the 10ft into 4ft + 6ft.

The 2ft unused part of the shed would house a computer, charts, accessories, etc on a small bench.

That was the theory and it seems to have worked out.

Great for visual. Space for all the imaging kit - but I haven't really done a lot of imaging.

Note no warm and not enough space for one. But I have a (junk filled) summerhouse adjacent. Don't tell the gaffer!

[Swoop1]

I'm very sorry to derail this thread slightly but, when I saw the thread topic, I was back to my childhood. I now can't get the vision of Fariik the Magician from The Arabian Knights  cartoon on Banana Splits saying "Size of Observatory!", clapping his hands and transfoming into a Pulsar dome ?

[JamesF]

I had completely forgotten that :)

James

[mckinnell]

"Fariik the Magician from The Arabian Knights  cartoon",

                                       YES, i remember that to, guy with a long black beard i think????, now if i could just get his address mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, few other things i could do with enlarging, he he he!!, i think that i will do some measuring up tho' i have been doing this from last October, but some great advice as per usual here on the forum, my grateful thanks to date.

                                                                                                                                   Very best regards to all,               Tom.

[Dinglem]

On 03/04/2019 at 16:35, JamesF said:

That was a figure I had in my head too.  I reckon anything smaller would probably be quite a squeeze.

James

Doh, that puts paid to my idea of a lean-to obsy in a gap between the house and the fence told my sweetheart we needed to move ?

[JamesF]

1 hour ago, Dinglem said:

Doh, that puts paid to my idea of a lean-to obsy in a gap between the house and the fence told my sweetheart we needed to move ?

With the 200P you should be able to get away with something smaller depending on how you want to use ut.  It's the size of the 300P that's the limiting factor really.

James

[Dinglem]

19 hours ago, JamesF said:

With the 200P you should be able to get away with something smaller depending on how you want to use ut.  It's the size of the 300P that's the limiting factor really.

James

That's ok, will probably get a new scope I quite fancy an Esprit 100 ?

Mark

[Rusted]

On 04/04/2019 at 20:40, Dinglem said:

Doh, that puts paid to my idea of a lean-to obsy in a gap between the house and the fence told my sweetheart we needed to move ?

That's what we call a Transit Telescope, isn't it? 

[maw lod qan]

I thought I had thought everything through when I built mine. Went 8' x 8' ROR to eliminate any wasted material.

Now I regret going  not 10' x 10' at least. I've only got a 8" dob (1000mm f/l) but now I've added an observing chair and a step stool to get up on it when close to zenith, so it gets a little tight on the working side.

But I do plan on hitting the power ball lotto and buying a 36" observatory class telescope, so I'll wait till then to redo with a correct sized dome. ?

[mikeDnight]

At 8 feet by 7 feet I'm pretty happy with mine, however I wouldn't like it to be any smaller. Although my main scope is a 100mm refractor, which pauses no problem size wise, I feel the 10" F6.3 Dob would be manageable if I removed the pier. As it stands, with the 100mm refractor set up, there's plenty of room for an observing companion or two to observe alongside me. (The 10" Dob plays in the garden and not in the observatory).

 

[Rusted]

The problem is not knowing how a finished observatory will affect its owner's behaviour or ambitions.
If it sparks a sudden lust for more aperture then these instruments are bigger all over. Including length!
Your own White Elephant which seemed like a huge burden to carry out every clear night is suddenly possible on a whim.
Which means you have to be able to move all around it and look through, it all over the sky, from within a tightly defined space.

I made rough mock-ups on the lawn with poles, string and lightweight [dirt cheap] tarpaulins.
And still underestimated the size I needed by 50%! Simply by being far too optimistic on how much room I really needed.
It seems all too obvious, but a long telescope on a German equatorial needs far more room than an SCT, or a little imaging Apo, on a fork.

What if somebody wants to unload their own White Elephant on your brand new observatory at a price you can't possibly refuse?
Build for the next telescope. Rather than the one you have found only just practical for carrying in and out of doors.

Build for the desk which you'll definitely need for an imaging laptop/PC [and a screen or two.]
As well as the smaller telescopes and all the storage shelves you'll need for all the other gear.

You can't sit comfortably [nor safely] within the operational radius of a moving telescope. So don't even think about trying.
Worst case scenario? Having to do gymnastics to extricate yourself from behind a bulky telescope in a very tight space.
It may even leave your neighbours to discover a raggedy skeleton trapped against a wall.
When they wondered why they hadn't seen you around lately but didn't want to be nosy! 
Will you have the local fire station or cave rescue on speed dial?

[mckinnell]

Now then, who are the fire crew i need to call in case, ???, mmmmmmm, ARE YES it's:-,  "Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub?  ok ok, yes i watched these guys, !!

 

                                                                                                           Regards to all,                 Tom.

 

PS, The skip has been ordered for the big de-clutter and old shed removal and tree branches etc etc, i start, !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

[laser_jock99]

On 03/04/2019 at 15:13, mckinnell said:

I am trying to gauge as to what is thought to be the best size of shed to use as an observatory; i shall as i have noted in other threads, my wanting to convert the standard pent roof style shed, in my own opinion being the best overall shape re removal of roof, BUT, am not to sure as to what the inner dimensions for the actual scope and mount would or should be need to be, as,  this would naturally impact the over all size of the shed proper, so, what would be the best as such size re shed for a NEQ6PRO 300PDS Skywatcher system, i understand if it seems to many as liken to a piece of string etc, but, i really do wish to get as many answers from any and all regarding this issue as it really will decide the area that i can use in relationship to the end build, if this makes any scence, hope so, if not, very sorry, but it's the best way i can put it,.

 

                                                                                                                                      Grateful thanks and regards to all,              Tom.

In short- go for the biggest size 'shed' you're allowed. The 300PDS is a monster scope and once on a pier the eyepiece/camera could be as much as 9 feet off the ground when pointing up! So you'll need good access room all around for at least a seven step stepladder. I opted for 3m x 3m because the metal cladding wall material comes in 1m wide sheets.

Here's what an F4 12" scope (i.e. shorter than yours) looks like in 3m x 3m obsy- I deliberately went big so I could store garden furniture/BBQ's etc in there as well.

[Star101]

I have a 8 x 10 ft ror shed. It houses my C11 on a Mesu 200. I could have built a maybe a 6 x 8 ft  shed but was not sure about slewing with dew shield on etc. As it turns out, I can easily walk around the whole thing as it slews with plenty of room to spare.  

What ever size you decide. I hope you hurry and get it built over summer so you can enjoy from September onwards. 

I love being able to walk out, roll the roof off and slew to a part of the sky and begin imaging within the time it takes for the camera chip to cool to -20C 

Heaven

 

Good luck.

Dave.

[mckinnell]

Thank guys for the great reply's, i am still just clearing the rear garden for the shed that will be for the scope, i have a large 10 ft x 12 ft  hole where a pond used to be and have to get it filled in, a task which is now underway but much much more to get sorted out on the site, and, with my health it is taking a bit of an effort and the wife is helping tho she is just getting over sciatica, so, not able to offer that much help, but, we are making progress, SLOWLY, !!!?, alas we have no friends or family to give a hand, still, never mind, we stop for many cups of tea.........

 

                                                                                                     My best regards to all,               Tom. 

[Bukko]

Hi Tom,

Joining the thread a little late, I housed a 12" f4 newt on an NEQ6 inside a Skyshed Pod. This is about 1.8m internal diameter and it was tight. The max height was an issue too and I needed to make a stubby Pier to keep the whole thing inside the dome. Working inside was also a real squeeze. Avoiding contact with the scope was an ongoing exercise and so I would also concur with the other posts to make sure it is big enough. 8 feet square would be a good size if you want to share the space.

Sorry to hear of your health issues, so please do not overdo it.

Good luck

Gordon.

 

[mckinnell]

Hi Bukko, Thanks for the reply, well, as we all get older so life issues us all with our respective bills as such , as for the observatory, well, it is going to be around a size i hope to get a room separate to the scope room to be able to keep a chair table and the PC and power unit in, or, that is my plane, WE HOPE !!.

 

                                                                                                     Beat regards,       Tom.