Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Cloudy Nights - Official Forums of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Observatories Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 ps_uk newbie Reged: 06/22/08 Posts: 3 Loc: UK Here is My effort at a Dome.       #2477477 - 06/23/08 08:53 AM Attachment (102 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   As you insist. My dome size was dictated by those nice people at the Planning Office. So was restricted to a 6' diameter and 3m high thingy. No room to get pre-built into garden - so its a DIY To save room and digging a concrete base, its placed on to of my patio. Construction started with a dustbin (I think you may call it a trash can?), with a steel tube in the centre, concreted in. That is supported be brickwork. The roof and side panels are ply,with 3mm roof insulation. The roof is covered with tarpaulin (silver due to Planners). It cools evenly and has worked OK for the last year or so. Automation is achieved via an old reclining chair motor which drives a chain to rotate the roof. I use Pierre de Ponthiere's Lesvedome and ASCOM drivers in an old laptop to synchronize the roof with the CG5 Mount. As you can see, Duct tape still rules! -------------------- Clear Skies are but a cloud away. Post Extras:       Starman27 sage Reged: 01/29/06 Posts: 218 Loc: Illinois, Iowa Re: Here is My effort at a Dome. [Re: ps_uk]       #2477485 - 06/23/08 08:57 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Creative DIY. Really good looking result. Aren't planning commissions fun? What do you have in it? -------------------- Enjoy the dark, Herman Meade 12 LZ200 classic and 12 LX200 GPS Meade Classic 7 LX200 Maksutov TAK FS128 NSV TAK Sky 90II Meade 102 Orion 80mm ED Meade ETX 125 AT80 Canon 20Da Canon 5D Post Extras:       ps_uk newbie Reged: 06/22/08 Posts: 3 Loc: UK Re: Here is My effort at a Dome. [Re: Starman27]       #2477514 - 06/23/08 09:15 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   OMC250 (when they return it) It arrived with a problem At the moment, I use a 200mm F5 reflector -------------------- Clear Skies are but a cloud away. Post Extras:       THEPLOUGH Nailed Again Reged: 01/11/08 Posts: 3639 Loc: Carlisle, Cumbria, ENGLAND Re: Here is My effort at a Dome. [Re: ps_uk]       #2477849 - 06/23/08 12:19 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I like that... -------------------- Geoff... Nexstar 8SE -- 9X50 RACI Finder scope... 6.3 F/R.-- 13 & 17mm Hyperion EPs.. 25mm Celestron E- Lux EP.. 2X Celestron X-Cel Barlow-- + A few bits and pieces.. Don't think expensive equipment will make up for lack of talent or practice.. Post Extras:       Chris Schroeder Post Laureate Reged: 12/11/04 Posts: 4923 Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow Re: Here is My effort at a Dome. [Re: THEPLOUGH]       #2478080 - 06/23/08 02:06 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Necessity is the mother of invention, well done Welcome to Cloudy Nights and the Observatory Forum. -------------------- Chris Mallincam Color Hyper Plus 10" DSH with SC DSC, CPC 800 XLT M102ED S.V., ZS 80FD 10th Anniv, ZS 66SD, PST POD XL3 http://POD.SchroederCity.com Post Extras:       csa/montana Astro Ambassador Reged: 05/14/05 Posts: 26949 Loc: montana Re: Here is My effort at a Dome. [Re: ps_uk]       #2478183 - 06/23/08 03:03 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for joining us on CN's forums! What a unique idea for your Observatory! Where there's a will, there's a way. Thanks for sharing the photo, & hope you get your new equipment back soon, & up & running! -------------------- Carol AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!) AstroTech 66ED / Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm, Tak LE 5mm 7mm Pentax XL, 10mm Pentax XW 14mm Meade 4000 UWA 22mm Pan, 35mm Pan DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2 Post Extras:       SometimesKen sage Reged: 07/15/05 Posts: 434 Loc: Bad Moon Observatory Re: Here is My effort at a Dome. [Re: csa/montana]       #2478228 - 06/23/08 03:20 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Gotta love the duct tape .... Did you know ….. if the ancient Egyptians had duct tape ….. the Sphinx would still have a nose!! Thanks for sharing Ken -------------------- As the setting sun / melts below the horizon / the stars applaud her bow. ~W. Terrance~ Bad Moon Observatory - February 1, 2007 39° 54' N - 74° 09' W Post Extras:       rodney domed in NJ Reged: 03/08/05 Posts: 438 Loc: Asbury, NJ Re: Here is My effort at a Dome. [Re: SometimesKen]       #2492615 - 06/30/08 11:12 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Very creative design. May I contact you regarding the Lesvesdome and CG5 setup you are using? Thanks, Clear skies, -------------------- My Explora Dome construction is here: http://www.freewebs.com/rodbo1967/observatoryconstruction.htm Rodney 13 Truss C8-NGT Orion 80mm/F11 Extremely happy owner of an Explora Dome home observatory and a list of goodies to big for this sig Post Extras:       Snow dog Carpal Tunnel Reged: 07/17/05 Posts: 1689 Loc: Alberta Canada Re: Here is My effort at a Dome. [Re: rodney]       #2492817 - 07/01/08 01:47 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   WOW. Very creative and it works and looks good too. -------------------- Marc Someone get these crazy dogs off me 12" LX200 Classic ETX-90PE Meade DSI Canon AE-1, EOS Rebel 350 My Home Page Post Extras:       nytecam Post Laureate Reged: 08/20/05 Posts: 4660 Loc: London UK Re: Here is My effort at a Dome. [Re: ps_uk]       #2495027 - 07/02/08 10:50 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Welcome to the forum and great effort with your dome just two ?? - is the tarp finish permanent and does it have a base -------------------- Nytecam 51N 0.1W Meade 30cm LX200+ETX-70+DS-2090+C8+Ha+CaK PSTs SBIG SGS+homebuilt spectrographs Starlight SXVF_M9/Lodestar/Canon 300D DSLR/Fuji E550 My observatory build-ETX-70 imaging-spectro page Post Extras:       Snaproll Post Laureate Reged: 02/20/04 Posts: 3434 Loc: Wisconsin Re: Here is My effort at a Dome. [Re: nytecam]       #2496063 - 07/02/08 07:00 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I'm impressed Welcome to CN as well. -------------------- -Jim- Happiness is a clear sky and a Denk II old AP images and some new C14 Hyperstar images Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 1 registered and 2 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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