My observatory

[Vlad]

My observatory.

The home made Dome is 1.5 metres diameter, steel frame, covered with aluminium sheet, with a fibreglass overcoat. Runs on a circular track, with a single sliding door. The building is a Waltons metal shed almost 2 M square, on a concrete base with wooden floor. The interior walls are lined with 10 mm thick rubber sponge matting. 240V mains cable supplies power.

The instrument is a Meade 8" SCT.

[Uranium235]

Nice

Shame theres no clear skies to use it

[Vlad]

Same for us all, though, isn't it? Makes me wonder why we bother with astronomy at all. Although, I must admit, that after 56 years in the hobby, I have seen some wonderful sights.

[iamjulian]

Nice. Although at first I misread it as you had a 1.5 metre dob in there!

So in your 56 years, what has been your best sight?

[Rusty Strings]

Good colour, makes a nice change from white.

[Vlad]

Colour to match the surroundings. Inobtrusive as possible.

The best sight I have ever seen? Very difficult that one. With the night sky offering so much, it would be unfair to try to choose the best thing I have ever seen, so I'll tell you a couple of things in recent years that have been striking. Hale Bopp. The factor here was the semi circles of brightness that seemed to precede the nucleus, and the bright tail following.

Saturn, when the rings were almost edge on recently, I could clearly see a dusty edge to the rings. The edge was not sharp, but gave the impression of being made up of "bits". 120 Skywatcher alataz Apo. Corroborated by two other observers. Different times, different sites. Maybe another is a fairly regular occurrence.; the eclipse of a moon of Jupiter by another moon. Switches off like a light bulb! I could go on and on, but M13 at 300X in an 8" Mak fills the field of view with stars, a splendid sight, but, there are so very many such beautiful sights, it would take another 56 years to cover them all!

[Daniel-K]

i would love to have one but im planning on moving house in a year or so, theres no point in me building one yet but i already have plans drawn up