MY OBSERVATORY

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With the wind, coastal moisture and dust factor out here on the far west coast of South Australia, my next step in the search for better observing was how do I stop it, or at least reduce these inhibiting elements.

I saw many articles on guys building their own observatories. But money, as always, being the handbrake on my ideas, left me thinking. It was so obvious when it came to me, I had a good chuckle. Man.. I live in the land of the rainwater tank, there was my answer. Sometimes you just need a little time to step away from things before a problem is solved.

Stage 1.

This was the beginnings and like it for around 5-6 years. I put an old fridge body into one side. It proved excellent to house a computer for the beginning of my digital-imaging journey. (shot in winter)

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 2.

(Click on thumb nails for larger view)

Front view. 

With rotating dome installed, extra fridge body for Goto controller/ extra computer and a new paint job. I used a cream colour as it reflects the heat. A must out here as summer temperatures can remain around 40deg C area for up to a week. (shot in November)

 

 

The rear view.

The dome rotates via 5 nylon wheels evenly spaced about the circumference of dome. These run on a heavy duty timber mount built inside the main RWT. The dome also has 4 smaller tracking wheels that lock it firmly to the outside of main structure, running around the corrugated profile. Two straps and a pad bolt lock it down when not in use.

(This shot is dedicated to my dearly missed and departed Curly Coated Retriever 'Lincon'. Was always present at  imaging sessions.)

 

 

This is my new & faithful observatory companion 'Moses', another Curly Coated Retriever. He never is far behind me and is a dedicated astro dog as Link was.

 

 

 

 

 

Home built 10" F4 Newtonian

 

 


 Looking in right from dome aperture showing image acquisition/ planetarium computer, a PIII 800mhz. Also shown, a AMD K7 750mhz desktop used solely for the auto guiding.  These two computers use the same keyboard, video and mouse through a KVM switch. They are then connected to the Scope.exe computer Shown in next shot by a serial crossover cable (null modem) for an LX200 command line. This then moves the motors via the control box.

The observatory computers are networked to the house computer via an underground RJ45 cable & network switch.                

 

 

 

Looking in left from the observatories doorway, the Goto controller box at bottom of fridge which controls my mount for slewing and guiding.   I use a P 200 KTX laptop Computer, shown to run the Goto system and its DOS software- Scope.exe                       

The Goto control box was built for me by Richard Fobister of                              

                                                                                                                                                       (click on image to take you there)

This image shows the CELESTRON CI700 mount with the Lenord Stage Pulley and Belt conversion using the PK264m-0ib Vexta motors. These are 400 step per rev 12v stepper motors.

Here's a link to Lenord Stage's website if you are interested in Gotoing most any mount. http://gototelescopes.com/

 

 

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