Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Posts: 5648
Loc: Inner Solar System
|
|
It looks like you're using a tripod - if you put in some sort of pier I bet it would be a lot more comfortable.
That said, I don't understand the attraction of domes - even bigger ones - for strictly visual users. Is it the "Classical Observatory" feel, or what? For imagers I can see it, but why would an observer want anything but a roll-off?
(I'm not trying to be judgemental here - I really don't understand it).
--------------------
- Rick
14" LX200GPS
83% of all statistics are meaningless.
|
David Pavlich
Postmaster
Reged: 05/18/05
Posts: 8633
Loc: Mandeville, LA USA 30.22 X 90....
|
|
Congratulations, Steve! The longer you have it, the more you'll realize it's the best use of astrobucks you've spent. Little setup time=more viewing time. Cramped or not, you get a lot more time at the eyepiece since you can now head out for a quick view and not be concerned about setting up all of your hardware.
David
--------------------
Proud Member; PAS NOLA,
"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research..."
A. Einstein
|
Bob Griffiths
Postmaster
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 6547
Loc: Frederick Maryland
|
|
Quote:
It looks like you're using a tripod - if you put in some sort of pier I bet it would be a lot more comfortable.
That said, I don't understand the attraction of domes - even bigger ones - for strictly visual users. Is it the "Classical Observatory" feel, or what? For imagers I can see it, but why would an observer want anything but a roll-off?
(I'm not trying to be judgemental here - I really don't understand it).
Not a problem Rick....
My reason for going with a Domed Observatory was purely to get out of... and stay out of.. cold winter breezes... For me it works. It also does a major job with bothersome lights...
Function Function Function... my Dome just plain Functions the way I NEED it to...
My major reason for NOT going with a roll off besides the lack of weather protection was
the space I would need for the building + equal amount of room to roll the roof off... My backyard already had a regular storage shed (12x14) an in-ground pool (20x40) and two garages one a 2 story 24x24..with a not so ideal wood shop on the 2nd floor and a second garage 24x40...with a tractor port off on 24foot side..... these are in addition to the observatory..
Bob G
--------------------
CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
Gerbring Heated Motorcycle clothing in the winter
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
The sky over my head....
|
tim53
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/17/04
Posts: 1429
Loc: Highland Park, CA
|
|
Hi Steve:
I'm glad to see you chose to keep that dome! And hey, all you have to do with the D&Gs is fold them a couple of times and you should be good to go!
Sorry to hear about your C-8. I'm sure it can be improved with the help of people here.
I've found the celestrons I've looked through to typically have a pretty reasonable mirror shift. My orange c-8 and graphite c-9.25 are around a jupiter diameter or less.
-Tim.
--------------------
"We`re just waiting looking skyward as the days come down.
Someone promised there`d be answers, if we stayed around."
-Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, "The Romance of the Telescope"
|
Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Posts: 5648
Loc: Inner Solar System
|
|
Bob,
Those are some good reasons!
--------------------
- Rick
14" LX200GPS
83% of all statistics are meaningless.
|
Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
|
|
Quote:
Bob,
Those are some good reasons!
Bob:
Like Rick said, Those are some good reasons. 
I'm hoping to "grow in to it". I'm looking at some video imaging equipment and think my light poluted location may just hold some real joy for me this coming winter. I have tried AP and digital imaging several times in the past and just never quite got the bug. When I was at RTMC we watched Tom Ospaski work his magic with a Mallincam and I was impressed. I can invision the dome doing it's thing and me inside warm with a hot cup of coffee.
It's just a whole different observing experience than being out in the desert with a long focus refractor.
--------------------
Steve
8" f/12 D&G Achromat Refractor Delivered 08/27/09
6" D&G f/12 Achromat Refractor
66mm f/6.1 William Optics Petzval
6" f/8 Celestron Starhopper
----------------------
"Never try to teach a pig to sing, It wastes your time and it annoys the pig". (Robert Heinlein)
|
bluestar
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/06/05
Posts: 1123
Loc: Maryland Eastern Shore
|
|
Been following this thread...nice observatory you have there Steve. I'd get claustrophibic in them...Home Dome has a dealer in nearby Laurel, Md @ Company 7 and I've been in them. At least you won't accumulate a bunch of "stuff" in the spare space like my roll off; I'm in the process of designing a small shelf model railroad around my interior walls  
--------------------
D&G refractors 5" f/12 & f/15; 6" f/15; 8" f/12...
Royce Dall-Kirkham Cass 10" f/20
Epoch Instruments Parsec/12, Astro-Physics 1200 DA, AP800 HDA mounts...
Previous telescopes A-Z...Astro-Physics to Zeiss
Old school @ BlueStar Observatory...this is how we do it.
D&G Optical Telescope Users Group ...D&G/long focus Yahoo refractor Group...back up and running
|
Bob Myler
sage
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 224
|
|
What a clever idea! A railroad hugging the walls of a roll-off observatory is gonna get you noticed. We now have a whole new concept for power rotation. Imagine a dome supported along the back of a 50 car Lionel! 
|
Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
|
|
Hey Pat:
Once I get a camera on this thing we will know if it is going to work out or not. I sure have spent a lot of money and a "boat load" of time getting it going.
Finally tonight I'm in the dome and the scope is working remotely, the dome only working from the local computer but I have Internet access and one step at a time it is coming together. Maybe by this time tomorrow I will have the dome slaved to the scope. We will see.
I love the idea of a model railroad inside the dome.
--------------------
Steve
8" f/12 D&G Achromat Refractor Delivered 08/27/09
6" D&G f/12 Achromat Refractor
66mm f/6.1 William Optics Petzval
6" f/8 Celestron Starhopper
----------------------
"Never try to teach a pig to sing, It wastes your time and it annoys the pig". (Robert Heinlein)
|
Bob Griffiths
Postmaster
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 6547
Loc: Frederick Maryland
|
|
Quote:
What a clever idea! A railroad hugging the walls of a roll-off observatory is gonna get you noticed. We now have a whole new concept for power rotation. Imagine a dome supported along the back of a 50 car Lionel!
DARNIT....
I made the mistake of calling my wife over to read the post about putting a model train around the observatory....
One of HER hobbies is G Scale trains ... already have 2 sets running around "suspended" from the ceiling in out TV room... She has wanted to put in an outdoor "setup" but weather protection would be a pain...NOW she is thinking about "hanging some track" under my elevated (7 foot off the ground" observatory ...she likes the idea of having the tract at eye level and out of the weather...
Well its her money...but does that mean I have to have 2 names for my observatory...
Bob G.
--------------------
CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
Gerbring Heated Motorcycle clothing in the winter
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
The sky over my head....
|
Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
|
|
Would she be able to send cookies and milk out to the observatory when you ask?
I can see where this could be promising. Will a G scale train carry a shot glass?
I'm still trying to get the dome to slave to the CGE! Kind of frustrating!
--------------------
Steve
8" f/12 D&G Achromat Refractor Delivered 08/27/09
6" D&G f/12 Achromat Refractor
66mm f/6.1 William Optics Petzval
6" f/8 Celestron Starhopper
----------------------
"Never try to teach a pig to sing, It wastes your time and it annoys the pig". (Robert Heinlein)
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
[Re: 
Edit
Reply
Quote
