Anonymous
Unregistered
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At home, my observing/imaging is based from my back veranda where I have a clear view of the eastern, southern and western skies & horizons up until around 60 degrees overhead. However there is no view of North whatsoever.
Since learning how to do dift alignment, I've been leaving my setup outside for up to one week at a time, until rain comes in the forecast and then I'm forced to move everything back inside.
This has made observing so much more fun, as the set-up time is virtually nil.
And the mount perfectly aligned has made my imaging a lot more fun too 
Have any of you built structures to protect your mounts/scopes on your veranda or built semi-observatories there?
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wilash
Fairy Godmother
Reged: 09/30/03
Posts: 5746
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Robert, can't you make a permanant pier for your mount. You should be able to place your telescope mount on the pier without too much of a loss to your alignment. That may be easier than constructing a shelter as well as being a cheaper. I've also seen that some people mark the ground where their tripod legs are set and simply set up the mount on the marks each time.
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Thanks Will, the pier sounds like a good idea!
I should look into that more.
I have the location marked off mentally and can set it in place each time and get really good tracking without doing DA, but the DA of course makes things a lot more accurate.
I was thinking of building or buying something simple that would protect the mount/scope, but just not sure what kind of options there are since the amount of space is limited.
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Grizz
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/24/03
Posts: 2176
Loc: Waldwick,New Jersey USA
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Robert,
I saw somewhere, someone had done this. They built a pier and mounted their scope on it then built a small weatherproof box that covered the scope and wedge. It was a 10" or 12" scope. The box was removable and lockable I think it even had a small lightbulb mounted inside to deal with moisture.
Unfortunatly I can't find the link! I saw this a few years ago on the web. I'm in the same situation as you I don't have alot of room and this type of mini observatory/shelter would work. If I find any more info I'll let you know.
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Craig
LX200GPS 10" UHTC SMT
ETX90EC
Orion ED80 APO
Meade LPI Canon 10d Meade DSI
My Photo Gallery
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John_Gillies
Vendor - Earthwin Optical
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 1429
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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You can try something like this if your veranda is big enough:
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John Gillies
Dark Side of the Moon Observers
www.earthwinoptical.com
14” LX200 GPS SMT/Coronado Maxscope 60 Double Stacked
EarthWin Optical PFS-DBSE Binoviewer System(s)
Skywatcher ST 80 & 102
Edited by John_Gillies (04/05/05 03:17 PM)
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Grizz, thanks for the info!
Looks like John has exactly what you are describing.
Thanks John.
Some good ideas here, a "$50 pier" may be in my future
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Grizz
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/24/03
Posts: 2176
Loc: Waldwick,New Jersey USA
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John's is great, but the contraption I saw was even smaller...hieght wise. Sort of like John's but half size.
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Craig
LX200GPS 10" UHTC SMT
ETX90EC
Orion ED80 APO
Meade LPI Canon 10d Meade DSI
My Photo Gallery
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pubquiz
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/07/04
Posts: 933
Loc: Lancashire England
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Love what you've called it John can't see any room in there though to answer the call of nature
Tom
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Losmandy G11 with Argo Navis
Celestron 8" SCT & Celestron C100 EDR Apo & William Optics Megrez 72 Pier mounted in observatory.
Meade LPI, DMK 21, Canon 450D un modded,QHY8, QHY5 Autoguider, Eyepieces: Speers Waler 10mm, Nagler 3mm-6mm zoom, Axiom 23mm, Hyperion 8-24mm zoom,Moonfish 50mm,Televue 20mm Plossl,Televue Powermate 2.5x, Antares 2" 1.6 barlow and a few filters.
Bahtinov Masks
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John_Gillies
Vendor - Earthwin Optical
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 1429
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Quote:
Love what you've called it John can't see any room in there though to answer the call of nature
Tom
Thankfully I've never had to use it in such a manner but you have to admit...the name is appropriate! Who has more fun than astronomers?
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John Gillies
Dark Side of the Moon Observers
www.earthwinoptical.com
14” LX200 GPS SMT/Coronado Maxscope 60 Double Stacked
EarthWin Optical PFS-DBSE Binoviewer System(s)
Skywatcher ST 80 & 102
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I didn't even notice the name..... 
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davidmcgo
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/09/04
Posts: 935
Loc: San Diego, CA
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The "Observalavatory" reminds me of a cartoon I saw years back with Santa and the reindeer pulled up outside an outhouse with Santa yelling "Darn it Rudolph, I said the SCHMIDT house!" Seriously though, great idea!
Dave
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John_Gillies
Vendor - Earthwin Optical
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 1429
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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You're dating yourself....I remember that cartoon from when I was a kid. A loooonnnngggg time ago!
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John Gillies
Dark Side of the Moon Observers
www.earthwinoptical.com
14” LX200 GPS SMT/Coronado Maxscope 60 Double Stacked
EarthWin Optical PFS-DBSE Binoviewer System(s)
Skywatcher ST 80 & 102
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Photovore
super member
Reged: 11/19/04
Posts: 193
Loc: Fort Myers, FL
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Quote:
John's is great, but the contraption I saw was even smaller...hieght wise. Sort of like John's but half size.
Would that make it the "porta-observa-potty"?
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Mike
Obsession 20" #1148/AN/SC
SolarMax 60 <0.5 Angstrom/DM-4
Collins I3
Mallincam Hyper Color
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John_Gillies
Vendor - Earthwin Optical
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 1429
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Quote:
Quote:
John's is great, but the contraption I saw was even smaller...hieght wise. Sort of like John's but half size.
Would that make it the "porta-observa-potty"?
Where would you hang the roll? 
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John Gillies
Dark Side of the Moon Observers
www.earthwinoptical.com
14” LX200 GPS SMT/Coronado Maxscope 60 Double Stacked
EarthWin Optical PFS-DBSE Binoviewer System(s)
Skywatcher ST 80 & 102
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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You could use the empty roll as a finder....
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John_Gillies
Vendor - Earthwin Optical
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 1429
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Quote:
You could use the empty roll as a finder....
See just how creative we can be! I'm tempted to asign a particular manufacturer's name to the finder, but on second thought, Ill let that one go.
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John Gillies
Dark Side of the Moon Observers
www.earthwinoptical.com
14” LX200 GPS SMT/Coronado Maxscope 60 Double Stacked
EarthWin Optical PFS-DBSE Binoviewer System(s)
Skywatcher ST 80 & 102
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MMICKELS
Aluminum Knight
Reged: 01/20/04
Posts: 36050
Loc: Land of Shake and Bake
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Let's try to stay on topic guys. Thanks. 
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Mark
I'm going outside to stand, so if anyone asks I am outstanding.
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Which one?
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gazerjim
Postmaster
Reged: 02/12/04
Posts: 8166
Loc: n-dimensional space
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Wish I had a totally private place to image, in lieu of my driveway. Although concrete allows the use of rollers and the garage is nearby.
Jim
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Jim Fisher
"How wonderful that we have met with a paradox. Now we have some hope of making progress."
Niels Bohr
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
You can try something like this if your veranda is big enough:
Great job John! That is exactly hat I am thinking about for my deck. How did you construct the pier? I was thinking of using a surplus street-light pole and cutting it down to size (about 12'), then mounting it on a concrete footing.
- Roger
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