Started my Observatory

[paul11]

What a fanatastic job Paul I hope that you get things sorted out next door. After all the effort you have put in it must be driving you nuts.

Regards

Kevin

Thanks Kevin the obsy couldn’t be any better I’m really pleased with it. The skies have cleared now I wish I had put the scope on the mount, I just opened the roof to see if I will be able to image the HH and the M42 and it’s going to be close. And yes it has been getting to me a bit but lets just hope she sees sense.

[paul11]

Thanks Mike If I manage to get in to do the lights I will remove the switch from the wall that turns the outside lights on and wire them from the lighting so they can only be turned on by walking in front of them.

[BlueGrass]

Excellent work Paul. Got your PMs and have been looking at your observatory pictures. Very nice setup. I've thought about starting one in my backyard or at least a light shielded pier but we've been also been looking at getting 10 acres or so out of the valley ... since imaging from a dark site is really what I prefer. Look forward to seeing your final setup pictures.

[paul11]

Thanks George

[paul11]

Well last night was a great night for imaging but I spent all night trying to get the guider to work and failed. This image is from tonight, it’s blowing a gale out there but I’m on the M45 and I’ve got the guider working great. It was the rubbish lead that goes into the top of the Lodestar. I just hope the roof doesn’t end up in next door, and talking of that I told her I will be putting her up some new outside lighting next week and she said thank you.

[MikeWilson]

Congratulations on getting first light with your spectacular new obsy, Paul. And also a further congratulations on a positive outcome with your neighbours.

I hope you keep a good eye on your roof. We've got a severe weather system moving across the midlands and north of England and even down south we've got a strong gale blowing. I have concerns for our static roof, never mind a moving one!

[paul11]

Thanks a lot Mike I have just shut the obsy it took all of 5 minutes to rap up, I just hope it’s still there in the morning.

[MikeWilson]

it took all of 5 minutes to rap up

And there is the beauty of the solution.

Did you get to see anything tonight? I assume there's lots of fast moving cloud preventing your guiding from tracking any long subs?

I hope it's all still there when you next see it

Best,

Mike

[paul11]

I got 16 x 5 minute of L on the M45 i will post as it's the first one but it's not very good.

[MikeWilson]

We've got 100% cloud cover and 16x5 is pretty good for such terrible weather conditions. Hopefully all those subs are usable ones and I will look out for your image. (M45 is one of my favourites).

[paul11]

The M45 may well be one of your favourites Mike but probably not this particular M45

[paul11]

Ok guys here’s one of the first successful images from the obsy.

[yesyes]

WOW, lovely! A lot better than your M45..

[MikeWilson]

Nice HH, I'm sure it is better than the previous M45

[darkly]

that really is a nice image, you must be dead chuffed with it, makes the observatory worthwhile eh?

[Astrokev]

That's a really great shot Paul. Looks like you got next door's lights sorted!

[Astrokev]

Just checked out your Flickr site. You've got some cracking images there. Especially liked the Moon through your attic window!

[astroimpulse]

Amazing and bang on the money for me.

[MoonNut]

Very nice Paul11, like many people on SGL I really enjoy seeing other peoples observatories and the ingenious ways they overcome problems (environmental and social).

There is one BIG question that you have not answered yet.....

how did you get approval from your Mrs????

[callisto]

Exellent Image

[paul11]

Very nice Paul11, like many people on SGL I really enjoy seeing other peoples observatories and the ingenious ways they overcome problems (environmental and social).

There is one BIG question that you have not answered yet.....

how did you get approval from your Mrs????

That was easy, no Mrs

[paul11]

A big thanks to all, the M45 was really only a test shot, it was taken with my neighbours light shining through all the subs. I have the new lights for next door and we are going to fit them on Tuesday if she is ok with that.

[paul11]

Just checked out your Flickr site. You've got some cracking images there. Especially liked the Moon through your attic window!

Thanks a lot Kev, with the obsy I hope I can return to dso’s and image them over several nights and put a lot more hours into a single image instead of just 2-3 hours in a single night.

[paul11]

that really is a nice image, you must be dead chuffed with it, makes the observatory worthwhile eh?

The obsy is better far than I thought it would be. The main reason for this is I can set up and be imaging easily inside 15 minutes and when the clouds arrive you can pack up in 5 minutes. On nights where the weather is partly cloudy I would never normally setup all my gear but with the obsy I only have to open the roof and because of this I hope to get a lot more imaging time from now on.

[yesyes]

That is exactly my main reason for an obs. Setup and pack up time. Now it takes me an hour to set everything up on the patio (incl alignment) and about 30 min to pack up. I have to go in and out about 5 or 6 times each time with all the gear I have by now.

But have to by a house first... :-/