Observatory Progress

[Mike]

....I can start moving equipment in, like a beer fridge....

Glad you are sorting out the most important stuff first.

[Carole]

Fantastic job Mark.

I can add wire mesh to prevent rodents getting underneath the floor.

That's a good point, I put a membrane over the ground below my decking to prevent any potential plants from growing, but just lately some animal keeps dragging it out.  I think I had better put some wiring underneath my decking before I get a wildlife sanctuary under there.  

Carole

[mickw]

Great news Mark - a beer fridge is essential 

Not bad news about the sparks as well 

[MarkS]

I devoted a page of my website to the construction:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/observatory.html

[mickw]

Electrician comes Thursday to wire it up and issue the test certificate.

Has he finished yet ?
Has he finished yet ?
Has he finished yet ?
Has he finished yet ?
Has he finished yet ?

[MarkS]

No he hasn't finished.

In fact he hasn't started because we decided that Friday would be preferable instead of today.

Mark

[mickw]

Doh 

[MarkS]

I now have electrics!

Including a wall mounted red light (for possible night time use) and a wall mounted white light for when the roof is closed.

Now I no longer need the access for fishing cables throuhg, I put chicken wire around the base to prevent vermin getting under the shed.  Unfortunately, in doing so, I trapped inside the vermin that was already there - I found a dead baby rabbit in the underfloor space this morning

I won't tell my daughter - she would be most upset.

So the floor can be properly screwed down today.

Mark

[Les R]

Electrician comes Thursday to wire it up and issue the test certificate.  Once the wiring has been "fished" through, I can add wire mesh to prevent rodents getting underneath the floor.  All the wall and floor panels can then be finally screwed down firmly.  Some minor adjustments needed to the roof runners now the roof has bedded in.  Some other minor bits and pieces also need doing. Then once the dust has settled (literally) I can start moving equipment in, like a beer fridge and, I almost forgot, telescopes as well!

The last 10% of this project seems to be taking 50% of the time.

Good to see priorities correctly addressed! 

Bet you can't wait to get cracking!

[The Thing]

Great progress. Good weather for doing all the inside bits - software updating, mount installation, cabling and testing the waterprooofing - but a bit rubbish for alignment and testing. Sunday night might be OK though

[mickw]

That's good news Mark 

Unless you've lost a baby rabbit 

[MarkS]

It was a clear night last night so I gave the observatory a dry run (well actually a very damp, dew filled run) until the moon came up.

I managed to align both mounts pretty accurately but not yet drift aligned.
One of the first things I noticed was a lack of desks/shelves - so there was no-where to put things - it all ended up on the floor.  This will need rectifying!
The piers also currently have nowhere to place the EQ6 handset, USB hubs and all the other assorted bits and pieces needed for controlling the mount, DSLR, dewbands etc. so it all ended up hanging all over the place.
So clearly a few tweaks are needed.  It will probably take me a while to work out the optimum layout.

My DSLR serial control cable also died last night so I need to get a new one.

Everything except the concrete piers was soaked in dew when I closed up at 1am - which is quite normal - but I was very pleased to note that at 6am this morning it had all dried out completely - without heater or dehumidifier - however it is well ventilated.

[mickw]

Small tables or cupboards fitted with castors could be moved around wherever and shoved against the wall when not in use.

Office chair with wheels would also be useful - Executive recliner of course (Nice and comfy for the occasional nap) 

[Carole]

Interlocking rubber flooring is also a good idea, a) more comfortable b) softer landing for anything you might accidentally drop c) warmer on the feet. 

I got mine at on-line maplins as have a lot of other people.

Carole

[Mac]

I got mine at on-line maplins as have a lot of other people.

I managed to get mine from a spare office at work that no one was using. 

Mac.