Garden Observatory

Fay · Mar 22, 2008, 14:05:35

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/cmhas/activities/observatories/putlandsbuild.html

This is interesting, if you are handy

mickw · Mar 23, 2008, 11:24:51

Fay are you getting ideas

Fay · Mar 23, 2008, 11:52:07

I do keep looking at a certain space up the garden. That item semed quite involved, a lot of work but quite cheap, bit of a deep hole for the pier.

Obviously it would be nice not to have to put everything up & then away. I was not sure of the image, where it showed inside the shed, as it would be for imaging, looked a bit claustrophobic. Ok if you have space for a large shed also nice to be able to look at the sky without being too enclosed, but you can't have everything.

If you have a dome, you would have to have the dome on auto, that is very expensive. I think you would have to sort out condensation as well. Also, I would have to have a lot of co-operation with it all, which I think would be a battle!
Oh well, will probably have to struggle on.

mickw · Mar 23, 2008, 12:49:24

Quotewhere it showed inside the shed, as it would be for imaging, looked a bit claustrophobic

It's not like you're going to live in it - You can judge how much room you actually need next time you lay out your kit. Just mark out an oblong round everything (including chair) using sticks or something, best not to include the full size of your paste table, just the space you're using.
Argos also do larger sheds

QuoteI think you would have to sort out condensation as well

He did that with ceiling tiles.

Come on Fay, get positive

Ian · Mar 23, 2008, 13:43:39

you'll have to come round and see my compost bin sometime, Fay.

Fay · Mar 23, 2008, 13:50:46

Is it Groundhog Day, Ian?

If I could just say, I will have that flower bed & put up an observatory, dig all the holes, do electrical connections, put in my pier etc etc myself I would definitely have one.
I would love all my stuff in one place, shut it all down if it rains, open up on a good evening all polar aligned, but it would not be that simple. I can but dream.

JohnP · Mar 23, 2008, 17:25:28

Fay - Can't John (as in your hubby) do it for you...?

Ian · Mar 23, 2008, 17:50:50

That's not a problem, I can show him my compost bin too. I'm easy.

It recently underwent an upgrade. Now the lid is attached to the drum with silver gaffer tape. I'd have used black, but I didn't have any to hand.

Fay · Mar 23, 2008, 18:33:47

John, I'm still working on it!

Ian, I'll be round

Rocket Pooch · Mar 24, 2008, 08:13:43

Here's a thought, build one at high elms we can all use.....

Fay, just to let you know my shed is 7'6 x 7'11 anything smaller and you can't really fit in it, well not with all the kit anyway.

Fay · Mar 24, 2008, 09:08:33

That is interesting Chris. I have been looking at various shed measurements, also looking at shed observatory sites where they put it up for you & put the pier in. Although you have to put your own base in.

I would like to have a close look at yours & study it more closely. I was thinking that you have to have room to move & be able to get a chair & table, at least in there. Depends, in the end, how much space & cash you have available.
I was even looking at the domes, but the cheaper one has an aperture suitable for 8" scopes, 0.5 m diameter. Thing is the dual plate has to be considered, which I think, is 16" long.
I will measure the flower bed that I am thinking of & check that the sky view is suitable, if it is not, then there is no other place that I could have.

Rocket Pooch · Mar 24, 2008, 11:48:31

poor flowers....

Tony G · Mar 24, 2008, 17:00:35

Don't worry about the flowers, I heard that Ian pretty handy with the flower arranging,

if not Fay could bring them around and he could use them in 'the Compost bin'.
(I still think there must be a better chat up line)

Tony G

Tony G · Mar 24, 2008, 22:59:25

Fay,
Look at this bargain.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7053469.htm?storeId=10001&referredURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.argos.co.uk%2Fstatic%2FProduct%2FpartNumber%2F7053469.htm&jspStoreDir=argos&referrer=COJUN&cmpid=COJUN

Irresistable, big enough and save £100.

Tony G

Fay · Mar 25, 2008, 07:17:17

That looks good, Tony..........but,

I was reading a site on which this chap tells about his dome. There was so much humidity that he put these moisture soaking aids, all along the base of the dome, but they were not enough.
He has to run a de-humidifier all the time & collects loads of water over a couple of days. He had so much moisture that it got inside all his telescopes & he had to put them in an oven at 40 deg to dry them out, scary!

I think that wood is the only thing that you would not get this problem with. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Orpington Astronomical Society

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