Planning a New back garden Observatory. Will document and solicit advice / feedback in this thread.

[sloz1664]

Hi Steve, Just picked this thread up & welcome to the Observatory clan. You have had lots of positive comments and help on your build, equipment & software, which must be encouraging & overwhelming at the same time. If I may, I will add a couple of subjects to consider:- 

Software: Have a look at Nina  full observatory automation, image capture etc; it's free, getting a lot of rave reviews and if you don't like it. It's cost you nothing.

Networking: Go for high quality CAT cables. preferably CAT6 or even the new CAT7. Future proofing is necessary as data volumes are increasing at an alarming rate.

Security: Get a good alarm system. I also added a couple of sound bombs and strobe lighting. If, in the future, you come across any deaf and blind low-life's...........Thy tried 👹

Insurance: Check your policies, you may not be fully covered. I have a separate cover just for my dome & contents.

 

Looking forward to your progress and keep the photos coming

Steve

 

 

[Steve Loy]

@M40
Following some excellent advice from folks here I went with the mono. I can always add a colour filter wheel in later. 
 

I started with baby steps with SLL. Just imaged the moon for a while to get used to using it. Was fun seeing it on screen though and playing with settings.  
 

That is... until  my power tank died!

Same as you fella! My new ac adaptor for my mount arrived a few days ago.  
 

@sloz1664

Thanks for the welcome and the tips. Yep insurance and security was on the list of things to consider. 

Edited April 7, 2021 by Steve Loy

[sloz1664]

8 hours ago, sloz1664 said:

Hi Steve, Just picked this thread up & welcome to the Observatory clan. You have had lots of positive comments and help on your build, equipment & software, which must be encouraging & overwhelming at the same time. If I may, I will add a couple of subjects to consider:- 

Software: Have a look at Nina  full observatory automation, image capture etc; it's free, getting a lot of rave reviews and if you don't like it. It's cost you nothing.

Networking: Go for high quality CAT cables. preferably CAT6 or even the new CAT7. Future proofing is necessary as data volumes are increasing at an alarming rate.

Security: Get a good alarm system. I also added a couple of sound bombs and strobe lighting. If, in the future, you come across any deaf and blind low-life's...........They tried 👹

Insurance: Check your policies, you may not be fully covered. I have a separate cover just for my dome & contents.

 

Looking forward to your progress and keep the photos coming

Steve

 

 

 

[Steve Loy]

Copy pasted the wrong thing @sloz1664 ?

[sloz1664]

1 hour ago, Steve Loy said:

Copy pasted the wrong thing @sloz1664 ?

Sorry Steve, I'll try again...... NINA

Steve

[Steve Loy]

Bit more done today. Starting to dig out the area for the concrete obs pad. 

[Steve Loy]

Not many updates since the last, it's just been lots of digging and ground work.

 

That changed today as we were finally ready for the Concrete.

 

Now... we wait...

 

[Steve Loy]

Another small update.

Concrete in and curing. Shuttering off. New retaining wall half done.

Next steps will be water-seal the Concrete pad with a treatment (need a decent gap in the bad weather for that though) and then finish of the building work so it's safe to install the obs.

[JamesF]

The retaining wall looks nicely finished.  Your own work?

James

[Steve Loy]

Kind of. 

Mate was actually laying the bricks as he knows what he’s doing (qualified bricky and spark) Though the mortar mix and jointing was all me  (I just followed him along, Tidying up  so he could focus on the laying. )

 

[Steve Loy]

So.. 

Building work on the walls done, and a call from Steve at Pulsar to say he had a cancelation resulted in my dome being delivered / installed today!

All up and running. Just a minor hitch in the moulding that I noticed after Steve and Gary had left on one of the dome's quadrants has resulted in a bit of a "clunk" when that joint passes a runner wheel.

I Should be able to make it smoother with some Epoxy Putty or the like, so not a big deal I don't think.  

Waiting for my new mount which is on back order anyway.

 

next job... finish the new patio, (needs a bit more back filling and then hard core and flags to go down.

After that, sort the power and data wiring in the new Obs!

[M40]

Looking really good and it looks like the sun is shining down on you too 👌

[MikeP]

15 hours ago, Steve Loy said:

a call from Steve at Pulsar to say he had a cancelation

Hi Steve,

I think that was me.  Steve offered Tuesday to deliver and install my dome (a green one) but I had to decline.  Glad to hear it meant you got yours earlier than expected.

Mike

[malc-c]

Its come a long way from that rough sketch you posted.....   Looking good.

[Steve Loy]

2 hours ago, MikeP said:

Hi Steve,

I think that was me.  Steve offered Tuesday to deliver and install my dome (a green one) but I had to decline.  Glad to hear it meant you got yours earlier than expected.

Mike

Well I guess I owe you a beer or some-such

[Steve Loy]

Right. 

After a bit of a delay to progress due to to some issues with the Dome rotation (Kindly rectified by Steve at Pulsar) I am back onto working on this.

First Job... install a board ready for the power supply and sockets. Sikaflex to secure two wooden batons vertically to the Wall. Then a board Screwed onto the batons (Method was ruthlessly stolen from Benjam's 2019 Dome construction thread... thankyou sir, hope you don't mind)

 

Then a visit from my tame Builder / Electrician and we have a fully functioning Battlestation  Powered Observatory, complete with Ethernet Data connection back to the house (Remember the conduits that go under the new patio?)

 

Next Job, Install the flooring.

I Cut a Circle of Waterproof Membrane to 2.2m Diameter, then place in obs and Chalk mark to dimensions. Cut everything out. Then lay over a square of Rubber flooring tiles to act as a template.

Cut the rubber flooring out, then Used the membrane as an under layer, followed by the rubber flooring. A little bit of adjusting, and the end result once all done...

 

Then I started on a DIY shelf in the storage alcove. 

Same principle... Sikaflex two batons, then attach the customer cut shelf on top. I got as far as the batons, and I'm not too happy with them right now. The sides of the bay aren't quite level, so the batons sit wrong. Going to have to reinforce with brackets before I trust them with weight.

 

Thats as far as i am so far.

 

Next jobs...

Reinforce the shelf batons.

Paint the custom Shelf

Install it.

 

After that, we move onto installing all the equipment and software config.

 

lots to do still!

[Ian Thrax]

Excellent build and good luck, there are many and easy mistaked to make setting up an observatory, I know, I made them and invented a few extra!  This looks well thought through and the assistance and ideas to be found on here will answer nearly all of your questions. I will follow your progress with interest👍

[Swoop1]

Re your battens for the shelf, couldn't you Silkaflex two floor to batten length uprights to the bay walls at each end of the battens?

Once the shelf is fixed to the horizontal battens that should be solid enough?

[Steve Loy]

Quick update, i have not abandoned this!

Real life got in the way of progress... as it often does...

In short, it's almost complete, just a few last tweaks...  More pictures to follow soon... 

[Swoop1]

Looking forward to a progress report Steve.

 

[Steve Loy]

Heya.

So almost done. Just a few last steps to complete.

Skywatcher 200p with a EQ6 Pro, and an Ultrastar is all in and wired up.

 

I purchases an electronic focuser, but it stopped working after a few days, so not sure if I set it up correctly, I can hear the motor working but the focuser stopped moving, not sure if its just the battery that is low on power.

 

Wiring is all run via a silkflexed baton on the pier, down and then up to Control Laptop

 

Not happy with the masking tape covering the wires on the floor, but I don't want to run them under the rubber tiles as they will cause bulging, so I may just have to live with it for now until I figure out an alternative.

Shelf was reinforced with Silkflex and Metal brackets... crude, but it only needs to support the weight of the small control laptop so its fine. (and not visible unless under the shelf)

 

installed a Dehumidifier, and small oil filled radiator to prevent frost, dehumidifier is piped outside. Just cut a small hole in the fibreglass and sealed the pipe in with good old silkflex. Some pipe insulation on the interior and exterior to prevent frost blocking the outlet.

 

Discovered I needed a channel in the rear of the pad, as it wasn't quite level so water was pooling behind the obs, Made me nervous, so one grinder session later... 

 

Added a silicone water strip above the door to prevent wind driven drips settling on the top of the door. 

 

And finally to make getting to the dome muck free, and make cutting the grass easier, added some stepping stones and a grass level border around the pad using left over stone from the new patio.

 

Software all set up, Dome and scope synced, camera installed. I HIGHLY recommend the new ASCOM device hub. It is quite literally plug and play with just a few measurements to enter and it does the rest for you. Amazing bit of software. I was really worried about getting everything talking, software wise...  but it took minutes with the device hub... so easy!

 

Hardware wise, and software wise, its all done, Here she is... 

 

Last few things left.

1 - Properly polar align (need a clear night)

2 - Properly focus (Need to resolve the issue with my electronic focuser... might get back in touch with FLO to see if i have set it up wrong)

3 - Perform a full Setup / align of the mount (need 1 and 2 to be sorted, and need a clear night)

4 - Put something nice in the corner pot,. and get a sign made to commemorate my dear Father who made this all possible and will have the Dome named after him.

Once these final small things are taken care of, "Don's Dome" will be open for business

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by Steve Loy

[M40]

Everything looks great 👌 not jealous at all 😜. I think we are all looking forward to a few clear nights, not going to be next week by the look of it. 

[andy fearn]

It looks fantastic, Good luck with it all. And a nice touch to name it after your father. I have a photo of my dad hanging in mine to remind me that it was he who inspired me to get into this hobby.

[Swoop1]

Lucky git!

😉