Colten Edwards
member
Reged: 07/26/05
Posts: 22
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Here's the start of my roll off roof type observatory at 51.917N and 107.117W http://www.astrophotographynow.com/Observatory.html
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Richard B. Drumm
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/14/05
Posts: 1486
Loc: Albemarle Co. Virginia
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Here's a thread here in "Observatories" that Ken started and needs (IMHO) to be easily found in the future:
Solar Power for observatories thread.
Marcus' response is full of important info. Putting a link here is as good as making a sticky of the thread.
Rich
-------------------- AKA Richard Drumm The Astronomy Bum
Orion Atlas 10 (10" Newt on an equatorial mount)
Celestron 15x70 SkyMaster Binocs
Coronado Ha PST
President, Charlottesville Astronomical Society
IOTA member
38° 10' 57"N, 78° 23' 09"W
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Colonel Bogey
sage
Reged: 01/27/07
Posts: 291
Loc: Sweden
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For those considering to build a rooftop observatory, I've uploaded a couple of pic here: SCRAP Observatory
But I would only recommend this solution if you need to, e.g. getting high enough - in my case above the trees.
-------------------- Observatory: Paramount ME/C-14/TCF-S/FW8-STL BVRI/STL-1001E + TV85/STL guider
Portable: Giro Gr-III/TEC140/Pentax XW's/ZAO II's
Solar: LS60THa
Binocs: Fujinon 16x70
Grab&go: Manfrotto tripod/FS60C
SW: Mira Pro, IRAF, MaximDL, CCDSoft, TheSky6, VisualSpec etc etc
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Kaizu
sage
Reged: 08/17/07
Posts: 460
Loc: Finland
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Is the chimney still in use? Does it harm any how the equipments or observing. Or isn't there anytining to see on the North-West sky. (I'm little bit jealous of your equpments, especially the mount).
Kaizu
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Colonel Bogey
sage
Reged: 01/27/07
Posts: 291
Loc: Sweden
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No, it isn't - only two channels are used as passive ventilation exhausts. I have not noticed any turbulence but can cut the chimney off completely if that would be a problem.
-------------------- Observatory: Paramount ME/C-14/TCF-S/FW8-STL BVRI/STL-1001E + TV85/STL guider
Portable: Giro Gr-III/TEC140/Pentax XW's/ZAO II's
Solar: LS60THa
Binocs: Fujinon 16x70
Grab&go: Manfrotto tripod/FS60C
SW: Mira Pro, IRAF, MaximDL, CCDSoft, TheSky6, VisualSpec etc etc
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Canadian
Vendor
Reged: 01/11/05
Posts: 660
Loc: Calgary, AB, Canada
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Quote:
Has anyone thought about using a 1000 gallon plastic fertilizer storage tank as an observatory? Any ideas let me know.
My neighbour and I had one. Our intent was to have a warm room, our scopes would still be outside. It had been cracked, so all we had to do was pick it up and take it away - for the cost of a flat of beer. We lined it with reflective material, used red rope lights and had shelves built almost all the way around. We kept a desktop computer inside, a small heater and two rolling chairs. Where the crack was, we made and framed a door. Outside, a few feet from the door, a permanent pier was installed. After it was done or before we started (I don't remember which) we gave some thought to having the scope inside, but couldn't come up with a viable plan to cut the top/bottom and still keep it weatherproof. It served our purpose that winter, allowing us to keep a lot warmer (no more ice in the moustache), have all our accessories close at hand and not have to cart everything back into the house. We eventually replaced it with a store bought observatory, and pushed/trucked the warm room across the street, to where it became a playhouse for some kids.

This was before the door was finished, and when we picked it up where you can see the crack.
The pipe coming through above the stars, was where the wires for the scope and camera came out.
It ended up with lattice around it so that it couldn't be seen from the deck.
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radioactive
member
Reged: 12/01/07
Posts: 52
Loc: Leeds England UK
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using a fertilizer tub? well it kinda grows on ya I guess
-------------------- **************************************************
MARTYN
A PROUD MEMBER OF MANKIND A TRULY DIVERSE LIFEFORM
***************************************************
[url=http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z151/m1dnv/observitory/?albumview=slideshow][color=teal]Observatory
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Tom Clark
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/14/07
Posts: 622
Loc: North of Deming, NM
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During the recent poll on observatories, I was suprised to see that there were only five domes larger than 10' listed. This 24' dome was my first construction project. It wasn't that hard to build, only took five months, and cost under $10,000. When compared to the cost of a professional dome of this size, that is very reasonable. The dome holds a 42" Dob, and is under fairly dark skies in Chiefland, FL.
This link shows the dome and the 42 being constructed: http://tinyurl.com/2ozsvc If you are considering a similar project, I'll be happy to give you a tour.
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Tom Clark
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/14/07
Posts: 622
Loc: North of Deming, NM
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This photo shows the inside of the dome and scope.
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jsmiller58
sage
Reged: 06/19/06
Posts: 270
Loc: Out there, Way out there
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Wow! All of us instantly and simultaneously got aperture and observatory envy...! 
James
-------------------- - 90mm WO refractor
- 11" Orion SCT
- PlaneWave CDK17 ("Cosmic Cannon")
- MallinCam Hyper Color Plus
- More eyepieces than I can use (come to think of it, thanks to my MHCP I don't use any of them!)
- Atlas EQ-G mount
- Losmandy GM-8 mount
- AP 1200GTO mount
- Pro-Dome-15
- An unhealthy desire to take up Astrophotography (cured yearly at AIC!)
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DOM1950
journeyman
Reged: 06/13/08
Posts: 7
Loc: quebec canada
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GOOD NEIGHT TO YOU IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE YOUR OBSERVATORIES PLANS IN THE PDF FORMAT DOMINIQUE MONGRAIN QUEBEC CANADA DSNC@XITTEL.CA
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GrampianStars
member
Reged: 07/15/04
Posts: 57
Loc: Grampians, Australia
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Hello Tom absolutely sensational. Has got my building fetish going again. Though I will only be building a 5 metre version Congrats
-------------------- Robert
37° 11' 32.5" Sth 142° 36' 45.5" Est
LX200 GPS12-Mity Wedge-GPDX-SS2K-ED80-ZS80
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John Fitzgerald
In Focus
Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 2709
Loc: AR
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"Headwater Observatory" in this forum.HW Obs link
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kiwisailor
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/07/04
Posts: 1275
Loc: Lyttelton, New Zealand
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Vintage dome how-to, Yoke mounted Reflector moves with rotation of dome Observatory Plans Click on how to build an observatory to view the plan
Steve
--------------------
Don't wait until tomorrow, start procrastinating today!
Sky-Watcher 8" F5 Newt
Mmmm Moonlite CR2
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kiwisailor
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/07/04
Posts: 1275
Loc: Lyttelton, New Zealand
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Brayebrook Observatory Main Page Brayebrook Home Page This publication on the Brayebrook site might be of interest: Designing & Constructing a Domed Astronomical Observatory PDF here Being a detailed description of the design and construction methods of an aluminium alloy domed observatory intended for a large amateur equatorial telescope.
--------------------
Don't wait until tomorrow, start procrastinating today!
Sky-Watcher 8" F5 Newt
Mmmm Moonlite CR2
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StarWrangler
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/03/04
Posts: 967
Loc: Three Rivers, MI U.S.A>
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You can check put my Yahoo Observatory group, their are a lot of links their,
Alan
-------------------- Alan D. Otterson
Windy Ridge Observatory
41-58.966N
85-43.069W
Alan Otterson
Founder&Owner
Flip Top & Clamshell & Rubbermaid Observatories
http://tinyurl.com/2bujn7
A Yahoo Observatory Group
http://tinyurl.com/yz9ckk
The Nikon D40 Astrophotography Group
http://tinyurl.com/5j8qw2
A Yahoo Astrophotography Group
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kiwisailor
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/07/04
Posts: 1275
Loc: Lyttelton, New Zealand
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The Design And Construction Of A Small Observatory-J.Ernest.G.Yalden Interesting "how to" of yesteryear to be found here Scroll down the first page to to the button "send PDF" under the printing options header if you want to save the complete paper.
Steve
--------------------
Don't wait until tomorrow, start procrastinating today!
Sky-Watcher 8" F5 Newt
Mmmm Moonlite CR2
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BigBadBrain
super member
Reged: 03/05/08
Posts: 122
Loc: Kent, Washington
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I believe you may have found the way I can get around the covenants police! Disguise the dome as a gazebo! With the finial on top it hardly looks like an observatory. Make it out of the right stuff and it could be quite striking.
-------------------- Celestron CPC 800
Orion ST-80 w Orion Starshoot autoguider (in work)
Orion XT-10i Newt ("She turned me into a newt!")
Meade ETX-60 Refractor
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kiwisailor
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/07/04
Posts: 1275
Loc: Lyttelton, New Zealand
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Hi Brian
If that's the route you want to try, have a look at Building a small gazebo observatory this is the one that is in Small Astronomical Observatories; Patrick Moore [editor]; Springer-Verlag 1996; chpt. 6 - ISBN 3-540-19913-6
Good luck with defeating the HOA nazis 
Steve
--------------------
Don't wait until tomorrow, start procrastinating today!
Sky-Watcher 8" F5 Newt
Mmmm Moonlite CR2
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BigBadBrain
super member
Reged: 03/05/08
Posts: 122
Loc: Kent, Washington
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Thanks Steve. I like the dome but the gazebo probably has a greater chance of passing the architectural committee. I may start with the dome and if they reject it try the gazebo.
-------------------- Celestron CPC 800
Orion ST-80 w Orion Starshoot autoguider (in work)
Orion XT-10i Newt ("She turned me into a newt!")
Meade ETX-60 Refractor
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