Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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Well here it is. The first report of my experience with my new to me 6HD-T Home Dome.
I picked this dome up used in May and have spent alot of time cleaning, repairing and replacing cables, pulleys and other maintenance. Lot's of defered maintenance!
I had the firmware updated by Technical Innovations to Ver.4 of Digital Dome Works and now have a great old Dell Computer running Digital Dome Works ver.5.2, Windows XP and The Sky 6 Professional.
Last but not least I bought an older C-8 and dovetail to mount on my CGE, since my 6" f/12 D&G will not fit in this dome.
Everything came together and I had my first chance last night to use the dome, scope and software.
As I reassembled the dome and leveled it on my concrete pad it became obvious that there wouldn't be much room in the dome. I had said from the first that I would be looking for a Stella Cam or the like and try to use this setup for some form of imaging. Once I put the CGE in there my thoughts were confirmed. There is not alot of room in here.
It was a very uncomfortable night due to lack of space but the dome performed well the mount is a proven performer and the C-8? Well it is a piece of junk. The optics seem good or better but the image shift is unbelievable! I got rooked on this purchase but I'll get it dialed in.
The final vote is that the Home Dome 6HD-T is a great observatory for imaging or remote operation but don't plan on any star parties for the public in there.
--------------------
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)
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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Pic 2
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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)
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JAT Observatory
Got Cookies?
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 6777
Loc: Eastern PA
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Steve,
That is a nice looking setup. In the picture it looks at home with the white surroundings.
I know the feeling about the small interior.
I hope you find a solution to the C8 issues (either in a new OTA or some type of mirror lock and a motorized focuser).
--------------------
-Marcus
The problem with free speech is even the stupid have a voice.
http://www.jatobservatory.org
Currently a SV102A, WO 66mm & 10" LX200GPS OTA on a Paramount ME
(these OTAs subject to change without notice)
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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Marcus:
Thanks, I'll work out the C-8. I'm hoping the dome will open up some opportunity for some additional observing time. My work horse CGE and 6" D&G is perfect in the back yard but not for a quick observing session.
I just didn't think it would be quite so cramped with a SCT in 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)
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JAT Observatory
Got Cookies?
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 6777
Loc: Eastern PA
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I find it cramped in my dome also. While it wasn't the sole reason for me going remote ops it contributed.
My setup is really cramped on the southern side since I started with a fork mounted SCT, so it was offset to the south. When I switched to a GEM I lost even more space.
One thing I really like about the Home Domes is the blue interior. I should have painted my gray walls blue.
--------------------
-Marcus
The problem with free speech is even the stupid have a voice.
http://www.jatobservatory.org
Currently a SV102A, WO 66mm & 10" LX200GPS OTA on a Paramount ME
(these OTAs subject to change without notice)
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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The blue walls do help. It is plenty dark in there
--------------------
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)
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40138
Loc: montana
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Steve, Congratulations on your "first light" with your Dome & equipment; while it may not have been perfect, I'll bet it still was a thrill!  It sure is a beautiful dome; I really like the dark blue interior! 
--------------------
Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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Carol:
Thank you. I'm sure it will take a little getting use to but it is all going to work out.
One thing is for sure It won't hold my new 8" f/12 D&G. 
--------------------
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)
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40138
Loc: montana
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Soon, you will wonder how you got along without it!'
That 8" scope is going to be a little large! 
--------------------
Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1406
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Congrats on getting everything working Steve! I'm sorry about your trouble with the C8, but I'm glad everything else is going along just fine!
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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Thanks Scott:
Things have gone well with the dome. The shutter is operating very well and the rotation is great other than the noise. Some of the real tough stuff still remains.
The local computer is running the mount but it is not slaving the dome yet. With the new upgrades that should come easier than with the old Ver.3 and the old DDW program that came with the dome.
The C-8......small potatoes actually I guess. I can get things working better there when time allows.
Thanks again.
--------------------
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)
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 570
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Steve,
Best of luck with your set up/ Looks like you have put in some good work on tyhe dome.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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AlienFirstClass
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/13/09
Posts: 734
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Quote:
Well here it is. The first report of my experience with my new to me 6HD-T Home Dome.
I picked this dome up used in May and have spent alot of time cleaning, repairing and replacing cables, pulleys and other maintenance. Lot's of defered maintenance!
I had the firmware updated by Technical Innovations to Ver.4 of Digital Dome Works and now have a great old Dell Computer running Digital Dome Works ver.5.2, Windows XP and The Sky 6 Professional.
Last but not least I bought an older C-8 and dovetail to mount on my CGE, since my 6" f/12 D&G will not fit in this dome.
Everything came together and I had my first chance last night to use the dome, scope and software.
As I reassembled the dome and leveled it on my concrete pad it became obvious that there wouldn't be much room in the dome. I had said from the first that I would be looking for a Stella Cam or the like and try to use this setup for some form of imaging. Once I put the CGE in there my thoughts were confirmed. There is not alot of room in here.
It was a very uncomfortable night due to lack of space but the dome performed well the mount is a proven performer and the C-8? Well it is a piece of junk. The optics seem good or better but the image shift is unbelievable! I got rooked on this purchase but I'll get it dialed in.
The final vote is that the Home Dome 6HD-T is a great observatory for imaging or remote operation but don't plan on any star parties for the public in there.
Could you post more pictures of the inside of the dome?
In particular the cables, motors, rollers...all the things that combine to allow automation.
Thanks
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3844
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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Quote:
Marcus:
I just didn't think it would be quite so cramped with a SCT in the dome.
Nice setup!
Mine is quite cramped, also. I have just learned to move slow and careful.
--------------------
Hubert
---------------------------------
www.smoggybottom.org
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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Quote:
Could you post more pictures of the inside of the dome?
In particular the cables, motors, rollers...all the things that combine to allow automation.
Thanks
Alien First Class:
Here are a couple of shots that show it pretty well. The first shot is when the dome was disassembled and on the trailer. The wiring is all bundled up in a bunch. This shot shows most of the wire. The power supply box and the closed box below holds the DDW firmware.
--------------------
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)
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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This shot pretty much shows all of it reinstalled. You can see the windlass behind the scope. This opens and closes the shutter. You can see a shutter relay box, an azmuth wheel that detects the position of the dome and the home contact switches. Higher up in the dome are some end of travel swithches that stop the shutter when fully open or closed.
--------------------
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)
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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Behind the OTA as I mentioned is the motor and windlass for the shutter. You should see what happens when a cable comes loose or you try to take them off without the right precautions.
50 feet of cable looking like a birds nest!!! I won't make that mistake again.
--------------------
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)
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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1406
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Looking good Steve. Hey, it may be cramped, but look on the bright side - you can REACH all of the moving parts pretty much. My shutter relay box is 9' off the ground!
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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Scott:
You must be "my kind of guy". The glass is always half full. 
Now at least all the wiring is run and "contained". Motor covers are next but I need to replace a couple of capacitors tomorrow.
--------------------
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)
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JayinUT
I'm not Sleepy
Reged: 09/19/08
Posts: 933
Loc: Utah
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Congrats Steve! Looks like a wonderful setup.
Some other positive are that you have a dome! All I have is light shields and the backyard . . . for now. Also, come winter here in Utah you may be glad for the small enclosure as it will trap some of your body heat(?) and thus be somewhat warmer (is that true? Just guessing).
--------------------
Jay in Utah
---------------------------
Location: Lat: 40.514N Long: -112.032W
Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
— Ptolemy, c.150 AD
My Blog
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Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Posts: 5648
Loc: Inner Solar System
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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.
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David Pavlich
Postmaster
Reged: 05/18/05
Posts: 8633
Loc: Mandeville, LA USA 30.22 X 90....
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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
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Bob Griffiths
Postmaster
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 6547
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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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....
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tim53
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/17/04
Posts: 1429
Loc: Highland Park, CA
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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"
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Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Posts: 5648
Loc: Inner Solar System
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Bob,
Those are some good reasons!
--------------------
- Rick
14" LX200GPS
83% of all statistics are meaningless.
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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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)
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bluestar
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/06/05
Posts: 1123
Loc: Maryland Eastern Shore
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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 
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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
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Bob Myler
sage
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 224
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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!
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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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)
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Bob Griffiths
Postmaster
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 6547
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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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....
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1728
Loc: Utah
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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)
|
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