Observatory build - NOT do it myself

[iapa]

Following the installation some years ago of my pier, and much prevarication the plug on the cash jar has been pulled.

Today, work started with local Groundworks specialists starting to dig out for my 2.6m base, and a trench for power etc to be run to the base.

I have chosen the Pulsar 2.2m dome as this will be sufficient for the 10” F4 Newtonian, no intentions of going larger, on CGX-L. Shutter and dome motors will be installed as well as two accessory bays.

The ASI Air will not be used as it doesn’t support the Dome or shutter controls, I’ll keep that for the non-fixed mounts.

This means reverting to a Windows PC <shudder>;

Control Hardware 

• Mini/stick PC, remote access with wired Gigabit Ethernet
• Pegasus power box 3

Scheduling & capture Software:

• Sequence Generator Pro
• ASCOM drivers
• Stellarium
• PHD2

And, finally, as we all love pictures!!!!

Day 1, around noon, North-West view.

 

 

 

[Ian McCallum]

Try a Raspberry Pi loaded with Astroberry OS, as it supports INDI drivers for dome controls, etc.

[iapa]

Just now, Ian McCallum said:

Try a Raspberry Pi loaded with Astroberry OS, as it supports INDI drivers for dome controls, etc.

Currently a WIP as of last week for testing on a more portable rig.

Plans for the observatory were deferred (read procrastination) for a couple of years, so I just brought all the gear back inside.

As a result, I already have more or less all still configured, so just need to plug it in, and better the devil I know  and concentrate on the dome and shutter controls - at least for a few months while i look at other options.

[Xilman]

44 minutes ago, Ian McCallum said:

Try a Raspberry Pi loaded with Astroberry OS, as it supports INDI drivers for dome controls, etc.

Seconded. I am working to replacing Windoze with a tiny ARM SBC - an Odroid N2 in this case because I happen to have one lying around. It is roughly the same as a RPi 4.

The killer for me is that the dome is controlled by a Velleman board for which no INDI driver can be found. Lesvedome is the only ASCOM driver for Windoze.

If anyone knows of an INDI driver for the Velleman controller please let me know!

The Pulsar domes are well supported by INDI and Kstars/EKOS is a superb observatory control and planetarium system, so give it serious consideration.

Edited January 25, 2023 by Xilman
s/SC/SBC/

[iapa]

1 minute ago, Xilman said:

Seconded. I am working to replacing Windoze with a tiny ARM SC - an Odroid N2 in this case because I happen to have one lying around. It is roughly the same as a RPi 4.

The killer for me is that the dome is controlled by a Velleman board for which no INDI driver can be found. Lesvedome is the only ASCOM driver for Windoze.

If anyone knows of an INDI driver for the Velleman controller please let me know!

The Pulsar domes are well supported by INDI and Kstars/EKOS is a superb observatory control and planetarium system, so give it serious consideration.

I have a stick PC which came with Windows 11 Pro, that I set up a couple of years ago to control capture and sequencing. 

It’s all setup and ready to go.

In addition I invested in SGPro about 4yrs ago, so, probably before the likes of Astroberry and NINA. 

[iapa]

Day 1, around noon, North-West view.

 

[pavel_s]

Regarding the wired ethernet connection.

I strongly recommend to avoid wired connection to your house, and go for optical or wireless instead.

You may encounter different electric potentials, causing unwanted currents, not speaking about protection against lightning. 

[AstroKeith]

Make sure they add a gap between the pillar foundations and the concrete pad.

[iapa]

10 minutes ago, pavel_s said:

Regarding the wired ethernet connection.

I strongly recommend to avoid wired connection to your house, and go for optical or wireless instead.

You may encounter different electric potentials, causing unwanted currents, not speaking about protection against lightning. 

Goods points, and considered.

All electrical will be grounded at both ends.

As will the pier itself - separate to the electricals.

Albeit 40+ yrs ago now, I used to to be an Air Traffic Engineer (fancy title) with the CAA - so, am aware to consider this stuff.

Edited January 25, 2023 by iapa

[iapa]

7 minutes ago, AstroKeith said:

Make sure they add a gap between the pillar foundations and the concrete pad.

Already done

 

[iapa]

End of day one

Pier needs a good clean

Edited January 25, 2023 by iapa

[discardedastro]

6 minutes ago, iapa said:

Goods points, and considered.

All electrical will be grounded at both ends.

As will the pier itself - separate to the electricals.

Albeit 40+ yrs ago now, I used to to be an Air Traffic Engineer (fancy title) with the CAA - so, am aware to consider this stuff.

Electrically, you can still have Interesting potentials with grounding at both ends, particularly on signalling - I may be teaching you to suck eggs but for Ethernet in particular some fun can occur...

You're best off going optical if it's any appreciable distance. A pair of media converters and optics doesn't cost much, and the cable required can be gotten pre-terminated. Plug-and-play and none of the surge protection/ground loop/interference issues!

I'd avoid wireless like the plague, unless you can do something "proper" like a 60GHz link or short-hop 5GHz, but it'd cost much more.

[scotty38]

Given you're adding the dome and shutter motors I'd consider a cloudwatcher too to close it all up if it rains etc. I do this with mine and integrate it all into NINA, works a treat.

[iapa]

19 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

Given you're adding the dome and shutter motors I'd consider a cloudwatcher too to close it all up if it rains etc. I do this with mine and integrate it all into NINA, works a treat.

A suggestion I’ve been looking into.

so many choices, and no knowledge

[malc-c]

1 hour ago, pavel_s said:

Regarding the wired ethernet connection.

I strongly recommend to avoid wired connection to your house, and go for optical or wireless instead.

You may encounter different electric potentials, causing unwanted currents, not speaking about protection against lightning. 

Nahh Cat5 is fine.  I ran 50+ feet of cat 5 to my observatory and its been fine for over 13 years - no need for expensive fibre installations 

[iapa]

1 minute ago, malc-c said:

Nahh Cat5 is fine.  I ran 50+ feet of cat 5 to my observatory and its been fine for over 13 years - no need for expensive fibre installations 

TBH I’ve had a CAT6e cable running from the house to mount PC for several years.

I chose an armoured outdoor cable.

[malc-c]

Just now, iapa said:

TBH I’ve had a CAT6e cable running from the house to mount PC for several years.

I chose an armoured outdoor cable.

Mine is just tacked along the wooden fence, no armour, nothing - it's withstood 13 years of direct sun light, freezing temps to -9c and gallons of rain.... cable is still fine with no cracks or anything !

[iapa]

23 minutes ago, malc-c said:

Mine is just tacked along the wooden fence, no armour, nothing - it's withstood 13 years of direct sun light, freezing temps to -9c and gallons of rain.... cable is still fine with no cracks or anything !

I chose outdoor armoured in the hope it would survive the below -15ºC temps we get once or twice most winters. So far, so good.

[iapa]

1 hour ago, scotty38 said:

Given you're adding the dome and shutter motors I'd consider a cloudwatcher too to close it all up if it rains etc. I do this with mine and integrate it all into NINA, works a treat.

After a little research I found

1. There’s not that many easily found via Google - ASCOM driver is necessary.
2. My preferred supplier has two devices, which were both on my shortlist
3. One of the above is not suitable as in mounts internal, so, I wont know if the cloud clears

That leaves me with the Lunatico unit with optional anemometer.

I’ll start a new thread to get feedback and other options

Edited January 25, 2023 by iapa

[scotty38]

43 minutes ago, iapa said:

After a little research I found

1. There’s not that many easily found via Google - ASCOM driver is necessary.
2. My preferred supplier has two devices, which were both on my shortlist
3. One of the above is not suitable as in mounts internal, so, I wont know if the cloud clears

That leaves me with the Lunatico unit with optional anemometer.

I’ll start a new thread to get feedback and other options

If you're speaking of the Hydreon unit for the cloudwatcher that is more of an ON/OFF for rain and can be affected by dew. I went for the other version that can be set accordingly for Rain/Wet/Dry as needed. Also the internal device is probably the SOLO which isn't needed really. I have the Cloudwatcher connected to my observatory pc and then check things out via that. You can install the software on another network connected PC if you wish but I don't bother.

Also if you buy one now you'll get the detector that will support the latest software which converts the sky brightness reading into SQM. I have that software installed as they sent it me to fix a couple of bugs I'd found but unfortunately my version is just a tad too old so I'll need to buy a new cover as and when they're available.

Edited January 25, 2023 by scotty38

[skybadger]

I haven't experienced dew with my hydreon, the internal heater being co figured on. What I have noticed is that it doesn't see snow. 

[DSviewer]

Wow looks pretty serious I’m jealous you have the space. I guess your running power direct to it ?

[iapa]

End of day 2

pour completed 

 

[iapa]

Base is 2.6mx2.6m square, my back garden isn’t that big (30’ x 70’ I reckon).

The pipe to the right of the pier in the photo runs to the house and I will be having armoured cabling installed out to provide power to a consumer unit, and network connectivity will also run through there.

I am considering running fibre, but already have reinforced cat 6e cable I can reuse out to the pier initially.

Dome is supplied pre-painted Matt black internally. 

As I managed to find a source for Matt black dual 13A sockets with USB, and even USB-C c/w WiFi extender, I will fit them to keep reflections down. Each of the dual sockets will be on a separate RCD - just because.

The consumer unit, if possible will also be matt black.

Considering painting the rest similarly, although Steve @Pulsar has suggested it’s not recommended by them, or necessary.

But, everything I put in, I intend to be as dark as possible.

Lighting will be LED strip, with body motion detector to set it white between 1hr after sunset, and 1hr after sunrise. In between if I go in, it will be red light.

[iapa]

23 hours ago, skybadger said:

I haven't experienced dew with my hydreon, the internal heater being co figured on. What I have noticed is that it doesn't see snow. 

At least the documentation does highlight that

Bit of a [removed word] with what I can get here,, but, the cloud cover detector should catch that