cosmicray
member
Reged: 10/19/08
Posts: 40
Loc: Swindon UK
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Here's my new baby. It's a Pulsar Observatories 2.1m fibreglass dome housing my C9.25 on an EQ6 GEM. I got up before 4:00 the other morning to view Jupiter, no hassle and viewing within 2 minutes from opening the door -Luxury.
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C9.25, EQ6/Atlas,
tricked-out AR5 for White light Solar
FPL53 80mm Apo
Solarmax 40mm scope
Takahshi 22x60 Astronomer Binoculars
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rodney
Vendor - Explora Dome
Reged: 03/08/05
Posts: 811
Loc: Asbury, NJ
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Nice looking observatory, congrats!!
Clear skies,
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Explora Dome information can be found here:
www.exploradome.us
Rodney
Meade 10 SCT
AT 8/F4 imaging scope
13 Truss
C8-NGT
Orion 80mm/F11
Canon 300D
Canon XSi
Two AS-GT mounts
Extremely happy Explora Dome home observatory owner
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drg
journeyman
Reged: 05/01/09
Posts: 8
Loc: Georgia, USA
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Here is a picture of my observatoryL:
  
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drg
Celestron C6 RGT
Celestron CPC 1100 GPS
Celestron Star hopper
Binos:
Canon 10x30 IS
Celestron 15x70
Zhummell 20x80
Orion StarShoot color DSSS II
Canon 20D camera
Starry Night Pro
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drg
journeyman
Reged: 05/01/09
Posts: 8
Loc: Georgia, USA
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Post deleted by csa/montana
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drg
Celestron C6 RGT
Celestron CPC 1100 GPS
Celestron Star hopper
Binos:
Canon 10x30 IS
Celestron 15x70
Zhummell 20x80
Orion StarShoot color DSSS II
Canon 20D camera
Starry Night Pro
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Starpoke
sage
Reged: 11/14/07
Posts: 275
Loc: Western Montana
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OK. Here it is. Starpoke Observatory, a.k.a. Headbanger Lookout! I look this picture several months ago but somehow forgot to post it here, It may look seedy and run down but that is because it has had a long, and “interesting” history. I think it was first built, in the l980"s sometime by Chuck Burton and it has been taken apart and re-assembled several times since. It is semi-modular with each section coded so it didn’t have to be reduced to a pile of boards. Chuck used it to house a 16" Newtonian on a big Schaefer mount which he used for long exposure film astrophotography. He worked for the National Park Service and when he was transferred from Big Hole Battlefield to the Grand Canyon he didn’t want to move it that far so he gave it to me. The structure is a plywood 10 sided polygon with a 12 foot diameter dome . Each rib is made from two 3/4 inch 3" wide arcs of plywood laminated together and the skin is 1/4" tempered Masonite. The Rings are double thickness 3/4" plywood with a 2" race which holds the golf ball bearings. The skirt at the bottom of the dome may discourage some flying critters but both the mud and the paper wasps keep coming right in.
I added about 2' to the sidewalls when I reassembled it since I wanted to use it for my 6" refractor. . I used new taller 4" posts on concrete pads with a cast-in post holders and spent days measuring and finagling to get the dimensions right. Since each section was labeled I was able to use the existing sections as a template to match the lower sections and it went smoothly until the dome frame needed to be lifted into place. Even with 3 of us the grunts and groans may have carried for miles.! I have painted it twice in the last 15 years and already it needs a new coat Sigh.
Since my back surgery I haven’t been able to use it because the lower shutter door is designed to slide to the ground and it is too heavy for me to lift. However, I am in the process of installing a winch to raise the door. It doesn’t work well yet, but I will post about the winch that wouldn’t when I get it figured out.
Clear skies.
Glenn
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40230
Loc: montana
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Don't understand why you don't think more highly of your Observatory, it's a great one with a wonderful name! 
BTW, Welcome to Cloudy Nights! Glad to have you join us!
(I deleted your accidental duplicate post)
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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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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40230
Loc: montana
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Hi Glen! Thanks for posting your photo, & especially for the history behind your Observatory; that makes your observatory pretty special!
Hope your back gets better soon, & we will be looking forward to your info on the "winch that wouldn't"!
BTW, love the name
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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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RobertED
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/11/03
Posts: 1192
Loc: Johnston, RI
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W-O-W!!!That's the 'stuff' that dreams are made of!!! Very impressive set-up Mr. Hap Griffin & Mr. Gene Hunter!!! Very Nice!! 
Edited by RobertED (06/15/09 08:56 PM)
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Ohioastro
member
Reged: 06/12/09
Posts: 12
Loc: Ohio
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I built a small rool off roof to house my NGT 12.5. The differance from others is that the South wall drops comoletely and the East and West walls drop half way.
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NGT 12.5 f4.5 Nova
Canon 15X50 IS
Apogee 12X60 green filter
TV 31mm Ng 5
TV 7mm NG 6
TV 10mm Radian
TV 2x 2'' powermate
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rodney
Vendor - Explora Dome
Reged: 03/08/05
Posts: 811
Loc: Asbury, NJ
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That is truly an awesome observatory. Congratulations on a great job and welcome to Cloudy Nights.
Clear skies,
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Explora Dome information can be found here:
www.exploradome.us
Rodney
Meade 10 SCT
AT 8/F4 imaging scope
13 Truss
C8-NGT
Orion 80mm/F11
Canon 300D
Canon XSi
Two AS-GT mounts
Extremely happy Explora Dome home observatory owner
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Old Dinosaur
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/08/07
Posts: 1257
Loc: Out in the sagebrush
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Nice Mike.
I sent you a PM.
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WRS Observatory
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40230
Loc: montana
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A very unique Observatory, to be sure! That's a great feature, with the walls!
Also, as Rodney said, Welcome to Cloudy Nights! We're most happy to have you join us; especially here on the Observatory forum!
Thanks so much, for sharing your observatory with us!
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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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Chris Schroeder
Postmaster
Reged: 12/11/04
Posts: 6558
Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow
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Welcome to Cloudy Nights and to the Observatories forum Mike. You have a very interesting and unique observatory 
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Chris
Mallincam Color Hyper Plus
10" DSH with SC DSC, CPC 800 XLT
M110 Doublet ED, AT 102Achro, ZS80FD 10th Anniv, ZS66SD, PST
CG5-AGT, EZ-Touch, Voyager
POD XL3 http://POD.SchroederCity.com
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hm insulators
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/22/07
Posts: 1371
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Neat observatory!
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Mick Hyde
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/22/06
Posts: 1126
Loc: Swindon, UK
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I've created a short animation of My Observatory using Google SketchUp.
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Mick.
http://astromick.blogspot.com http://mickhyde.googlepages.com Swindon CSC
Celestron 9.25 XLT, Takahashi SKY-90, Canon EOS 50D, DMK21AF04AS, SKYnyx 2-0M, CGE mount.
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hm insulators
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/22/07
Posts: 1371
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Now that's a cool animation!
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Chris Graham
mmmm...Haggis
Reged: 04/01/04
Posts: 4883
Loc: Stirling, Scotland
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Not sure I ever did add my pics.
So here they are. Completed May 2007
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-Skywatcher 8" Reflector on HEQ5 with Skyscan
-Orion ED80 Refractor
-70mm Guidescope/grab and go scope
-Canon EOS 350D
-Toucam Pro 2
Astronomy & Veggies
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SKYGZR
journeyman
Reged: 08/14/09
Posts: 8
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SKYGZRATORY
Start to Finnish
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"My GOD, It's Full of Stars!"
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40230
Loc: montana
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Very nice Observatory!
Welcome to Cloudy Nights, and especially to the Observatory Forum. We're Looking forward to getting to know you here!
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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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ken30809
stranger
Reged: 09/03/09
Posts: 4
Loc: Evans, GA
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Quote:
My modest but comfy little refuge from earthly reality  :
I looked at your construction details. You did a fantastic job! Nice observatory -
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Thanks,
Ken
C9.25 SCT, Takahashi Sky90 and FS-60C, CGE Mount
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