Jeff Young
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/04/05
Posts: 3146
Loc: Ireland
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I'm constructing an open-air solar observatory to minimize the effects of bad seeing. Well, "observatory" is probably a bit of a stretch -- actually I'm just placing a pier in my garden. But since I live in a listed building, I've adopted a classical design to allow it to blend in better.
There's a thread on the construction over in the solar forum:
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=2664035
... but here's a teaser image. (The column will hold an armillary sphere when the telescope is not in use.)
Cheers,
-- Jeff.
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Nikon 18x70s / UA Millennium Colorado:
Solarscope SF70 / TV Pronto / AP400QMD Coronado SolarMax40 DS / Bogen 055+3130
APM MC1610 / Tak FC-100 / AP1200GTO Tak Mewlon 250 / AP600EGTO
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Canadian
Vendor
Reged: 01/11/05
Posts: 623
Loc: Calgary, AB, Canada
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I didn't need to see that.
Why didn't you post this last year?
Thinking outside the box.
No issue of what to do with the concrete pier if one has to move.
What a great idea - wish it had come to me earlier, though I still might do it for an outside the POD pier that I had sort of given up on.
Simply marvelous!
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Just my thoughts, subject to change at any time.
Garry
C11
CR150HD
FLT110 TMB Triplet
ZS80FD Anniversary Edition
ZS66ED Petsval
ZS66SD Doublet
ZS66ED Triplet
GT-ONE HD
GT-ONE
CG5GT
EZ Touch
RASC Calgary
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Jeff Young
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/04/05
Posts: 3146
Loc: Ireland
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Garry --
It's worse than that. Not only did I not post this last year, but I wouldn't have posted it in the Observatory forum at all if someone over in Solar hadn't kicked me. 
--Jeff.
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Nikon 18x70s / UA Millennium Colorado:
Solarscope SF70 / TV Pronto / AP400QMD Coronado SolarMax40 DS / Bogen 055+3130
APM MC1610 / Tak FC-100 / AP1200GTO Tak Mewlon 250 / AP600EGTO
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Keith Howlett
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/06/07
Posts: 708
Loc: Northumberland, UK
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Jeff,
That's only half a design! To do it properly you should build a large pond / small lake to the south of the column to improve the daytime seeing. Sort of a classical Big Bear observatory. The column would look great with a few goldfish sculling around behind it.
Nice one.
Cheers,
Keith
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14" f10 RCOS / AP1200
AP 105 Traveler / AP400 QMD
Coronado SM90 Filter
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Jeff Young
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/04/05
Posts: 3146
Loc: Ireland
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Keith --
Dang it, why didn't I think of that? My wife's been suggesting a pond for years now....
-- Jeff.
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Nikon 18x70s / UA Millennium Colorado:
Solarscope SF70 / TV Pronto / AP400QMD Coronado SolarMax40 DS / Bogen 055+3130
APM MC1610 / Tak FC-100 / AP1200GTO Tak Mewlon 250 / AP600EGTO
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Keith Howlett
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/06/07
Posts: 708
Loc: Northumberland, UK
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Mine has been suggesting planting trees around the dome to landscape it into the hill a bit. Hmm... 
Cheers,
Keith
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14" f10 RCOS / AP1200
AP 105 Traveler / AP400 QMD
Coronado SM90 Filter
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nytecam
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/20/05
Posts: 4779
Loc: London UK
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Hi Jeff - nice column  I thought the definition of an 'observatory' on this forum was an enclosing building but could be wrong 
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WadeVC
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/02/05
Posts: 2779
Loc: Lodi, California,
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Quote:
Hi Jeff - nice column I thought the definition of an 'observatory' on this forum was an enclosing building but could be wrong
Actually an observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial and/or celestial events, not specifically a enclosed building.
I am sure that with your experience you are aware of this, but many newer members/observers may not be.
One of the most famous "open air" observatories is Stonehenge, but there are many other "open air" observatories (their original design), such as:
Goseck Circle - Germany
Yantra Mandir - India
Xiangfen Astronomical Observatory - China
But Jeff's open air observatory is high tech compared to mine, which consists of a lawn chair and flat piece of grass.
...what a show-off "techno-head" Jeff is!
BTW...looks good Jeff! 
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Jeff Young
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/04/05
Posts: 3146
Loc: Ireland
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He, he... thanks nytecam and Wade.
I had hoped to get the anchor bolts in this weekend, but there's not enough clearance in the mounting plate for a socket head or wrench. I'm going to have to dig up some socket-head cap screws to use (the ones I have on hand aren't long enough).
I did get the timber form removed and the sod back down (and it's rained ever since -- so it should be well-watered).
-- Jeff.
--------------------
Nikon 18x70s / UA Millennium Colorado:
Solarscope SF70 / TV Pronto / AP400QMD Coronado SolarMax40 DS / Bogen 055+3130
APM MC1610 / Tak FC-100 / AP1200GTO Tak Mewlon 250 / AP600EGTO
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Jeff Young
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/04/05
Posts: 3146
Loc: Ireland
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I finally got around to finishing the project. Lots of shots in the other thread, but here's one teaser:
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Nikon 18x70s / UA Millennium Colorado:
Solarscope SF70 / TV Pronto / AP400QMD Coronado SolarMax40 DS / Bogen 055+3130
APM MC1610 / Tak FC-100 / AP1200GTO Tak Mewlon 250 / AP600EGTO
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28271
Loc: montana
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Quote:
Quote:
Hi Jeff - nice column I thought the definition of an 'observatory' on this forum was an enclosing building but could be wrong
Actually an observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial and/or celestial events, not specifically a enclosed building.
I am sure that with your experience you are aware of this, but many newer members/observers may not be.
One of the most famous "open air" observatories is Stonehenge, but there are many other "open air" observatories (their original design), such as:
Goseck Circle - Germany
Yantra Mandir - India
Xiangfen Astronomical Observatory - China
But Jeff's open air observatory is high tech compared to mine, which consists of a lawn chair and flat piece of grass.
...what a show-off "techno-head" Jeff is!
BTW...looks good Jeff!
Generally speaking, in this forum, it usually does pertain to "buildings" that house telescopes.
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
AstroTech 66ED / Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Tak LE 5mm B/TMB 3.2
7mm Pentax XL, 10mm Pentax XW
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
22mm Pan, 35mm Pan
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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