Observatory Progress

[MarkS]

A few from yesterday (Saturday):

Rebar trimmed back and ventilation duct cut to the right height:


Checking everything is in order and verifying North/South marks before filling with concrete:


Immediately after filling with concrete:


The wooden template is there temporarily - it will be removed once the concrete has hardened.

Very annoyingly, I ordered only six M16 threaded rods instead of eight.  This mental aberration resulted in only one pier being completed

The other pier has been filled with concrete approximately halfway - to a level just below where the threaded rod will reach.

One day later, the completed pier seems to be quite solid.  Actually, very solid!  Extremely solid is probably a more accurate description.

[MarkS]

A couple more pics:




The exterior is now nearing completion except for a few trims, a few coats of wood protection and the fact that I need to construct a door in the North wall.
I still have another pier to cast.  Then the electrics and the landscaping ...

At the presnt time I have 8800 time lapse pictures taken at 1 minute intervals, which means the project has taken 130 hours so far ...  
But a few hours went unrecorded - when I was working in the rain and didn't want a soaked camera.

[Tony G]

Mark,

That is looking really good, but was curious as to what council band it comes under.
As for the door, don't put 1 in as it will encourage squatters and you could get quite a few in there as it would be the first large hotel they see this side of Dover.

Seriously, it is really taking shape and I look forward to seeing the time-lapse.

Tony G

[Carole]

The doves might decide to move out of the dovecot into the observatory.   

But seriously Mark, fantastic bit of work.

Carole

[Fay]

you have worked really hard Mark, a real trouper!!

[Mike]

Excellent job Mark. I'm looking forward to seeing what images you are going to be producing with your two pier observatory.

[The Thing]

That looks amazing Mark. Have you had any more thoughts on mounts and imaging cameras? It won't be long now and autumns approaching!

[Rocket Pooch]

I was going to make a witty comment about it but I fear I will be  ed

[MarkS]

Have you had any more thoughts on mounts and imaging cameras?

For the time being it will be 2 EQ6 mounts.  As for cameras, my trusty modified 350D will eventually be replaced by a modified 550D - pending the outcome of my testing.  I also have the OSC Starlight Xpress SXVR-M25C.

My intention is still to concentrate on wide-band colour imaging though I might begin to experiment with narrowband.

[MarkS]

I was going to make a witty comment about it but I fear I will be  ed

I am offended by your wit-free post.  I think it should be removed!

[Rocket Pooch]

Sorry Mark

[MarkS]

[MarkS]

I built a shed door and I put the EQ6 mounts on their piers today - just to try things out (I'll post a picture later).

I was very interested to see how well isolated the pier mounts are from the shed foundations.

So once it got dark I trained the Celestron C11 with 2x Barlow and DMK camera on Saturn - so this was a very high level of magnification. I displayed it live on the laptop screen and then jumped up and down on the wooden shed floor close to the pier.  The result was that the image momentarily blurred each time I landed on the floor.  However walking around on the shed floor close to the pier had no effect whatsoever.

So clearly some vibration can still be transmitted through the wooden floor to the concrete shed base and then through the clay soil to the concrete pier foundation.  However I still judge this experiment to be a success.  Previously when I used the tripod on the grass for planetary imaging, it was very susceptible to vibrations just from walking nearby.

Generally speaking I'm not going to be jumping up and down on the floor during planetary imaging!   Unless I'm holding a party in there 

[MarkS]

Here are the pics I promised:

[RobertM]

Thats quite an impressive job youve done on that Mark ! Looks like it's all come together rather well - you must be well pleased.

I like the last picture with the sunset - all ready for a nights imaging

Robert