Building a Backyard Observatory - Narrative
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- A little narrative on how I built my roll away observatory. It can then be used as a warm room once it is rolled away from your scope. This design is great for small backyards or where space is limited. Built with a Keter Apex 4x6 resin shed.
This is the nicest micro observatory I've seen to date. Fabulous design and layout. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
Very good set-up. The emphasis is clearly on the stability of the mount and the quality of the Telescope and gear.
Excellent use of a budget.
Clear skies
Thank you kindly.
One heck of a project...you did a great job...it's like a mini-professional observatory.
Thank you very much!
That is one of the best small observatories I have seen. It has really inspired me to build mine this summer.... Well done!!!
Thank you Steve! Glad it could be of some help. :)
Very nice work !
スゴッ‼️
Thank you!
Looks like an excellent setup. I will try it!
nice job I myself am in the process of building an observatory ..was looking for ideas ..thanks for sharing .
superb! I currently have my EQ6 on a pier with a big plastic bucket over it. I really want something better though, so this looks great!
What did you end up doing?
It's got me motivated to build instead of buying.
Nicely done! I want to set up an observatory, this helps motivate me!
Excellent!
Just build a small fence on each side of the back area so when you roll it closed the area is still blocked off.
That is awesome!!!!!!
Is there some problem with building an observatory on top of a roof to get it above ground clutter?
I see a lot of back yard observatories but none on top of the house which seems like it would be the obvious solution.
Building on top of an existing structure is not the problem. The problem is your pier needs to extend through your structure in the ground to get a rock solid base so there is no pier vibration. Most preexisting structures do not allow you going through the middle of a living room, bedroom or kitchen with a pier. Many have done a dormer observatory on top of a garage where extending a pier through the back part of a garage isn't a large intrusion. Good luck with whatever you plan to do.
Just asking ...Do you really have a descent view of the night sky big enough to warrant you wanting to build your own observatory..? seems like their would be lots of lights all around you to dull your view ..? ..and trees in the way !..Not being critical just wondering ...Nice Job at building this...Happy star watching ..and Clear sky's to you....
That was my old house. Moved since then back to Missouri. Now have a clear view of Southern sky but sometimes you just have to work with what you have! Cheers!
@@BackyardAstronomyNow what improvements/changes have you made since this build?
Very nice observatory & video. You have given me some good ideas. I live in a HOA community, so building a structure in my yard would create a conflict, however I am considering relocating to darker sky's & less rules.
Check your covenants, as long as you are equal or below most 6' privacy fences the HOA wont' even see it.
@@starhopper457 Thanks David.
Damn, how much did you pay for all that equipment?
I would hate to count it all up...it was all over time though. :)
Hate to say it, but, your "facing North" and "facing East" look like the same direction! Am I missing something?
Yeah, it is North when the video first opens. The fencing is the same around the property but if you will notice the good part of the fence on the North side is facing me but on the East it isn't. Two different parts of the yard.
Astrobloke
Brilliant!
Thank you!
Very inspiring. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
8:15 - I have a stand alone autoguider too though mine is the Synguider 2.
Great job with your observatory, I am looking forward to creating one for myself and you have given me some great ideas and instruction, and some well needed insight. Thank you for posting. Cheers!
+Johnie Lopez Jr Your most welcome Johnie. Please feel free to post a link of your build when finished. Would love to see it. Cheers! Perry.
Impressive, something like that is perfect for those who don't have the room for a large fixed observatory.
Thank you!
That's a great idea
Good ideas except for raised rail tripping hazard. Could have avoided by receiving rails into slab.
Great build! nicely done.
Thank you!
Great Job. Beautifully explained.
Glad it was helpful!
You did a great job building your observatory. I plan on copying some of your design elements into what I build this next summer. As I live in a northern climate where we get snow, I was wondering how that might have an effect on how the dogs on the casters move through the railing. I'm unsure of your locale so maybe it isn't an issue.
This was my previous observatory and it was in northern Texas and they do get snow there. Just clear the snow away from the tracks and you will be fine. Live in Missouri now. I redid the design to put industrial drawer slides on the side of the pad. There is a video in the collection if you look for it.
Old post but another suggestion is to use garage door tracks. Granted being horizontal close to the ground, the snow would be a challenge (I live in Southwest Florida on the Gulf, I have different challenges). But if you get the tracks rated for Miami - Dade hurricane codes, at least you know they're engineered well to handle the environment. Granted, the resin shed or the resin observatories would probably be damaged before the roller and tracks give out.
Thanks for this informative video. How has it held up? Do you find that the concrete cause any seeing interference especially during the summer heat? Clear skies! Narrie
I like this design. The compact setup is an attractive solution. Like the video format as well. Cheers!
Is Night Skies Network done or will they be back? Do you know.
John, they still have an online presence. Their website is www.nightskiesnetwork.com
Hello.... Im looking to build pretty much the exact shed that you have. I believe I have found the same machine skates that you have,but it they don't appear to have the side pins for fitting into the channel. Was this something you modified or did they come that way and might be on the other side?
www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200356891_200356891
Also is there things I should worry about/issues you have come across since you finished the shed such as moisture issues with the electronics?
Thanks in advance,
Scott
+TheSbanker31 Those are the correct machine skates. It doesn't show it but those side pins are on the far side of the picture. I got them on sale for $39.00 a piece so you may want to delay or just simply ask the store if they are going on sale soon. I sold the house where I built this in Texas about 6 months after due to layoff and I moved back to Missouri. During the period of time I had it though it worked great. Just keep some lithium grease on the rails and the side of the skates and it should work fine without binding. I would suggest putting some glow in the dark paint on those rails as they are easy to trip over in the dark. Would love to see your finished product when it is done. Feel free to post a link here. I am working on my second build currently. I will post here as well. If you aren't subscribed feel free to do so and you will get a notice when I post it. Cheers!
+Event Horizon Observatory
Many thanks! I subscribed and will show my progress when I get started.
Here's my progress so far...
facebook.com/scott.banker.9/media_set?set=a.1097852330236557.1073741850.100000354015927&type=3
Nice job. How did you fix the base of the shed to the rollers?
As I remember it....lag bolts
How bad is the light pollution there? Around here more and more people are installing "security lighting" some of which are annoying to look at from 2 miles away...... its frustrating.
We recently moved from the DFW area but the light pollution was about the same as you would fine in most any major metro area. We are now living about 40 miles west of St. Louis Mo and are having a house built so stay tuned for a "Event Horizon Observatory II" narrated build video coming soon. When in Dallas, we were on the North West side of the DFW metro just north of Fort Worth. Eyepiece astronomy wasn't so great but once I purchased a Mallincam Xtreme, it wasn't a problem viewing most any deep space object I wanted to. :)
Very cool!
Thanks Scott! :)
Hi.. I'm Pete from skysurfers.org.uk.
I love the way you built your observatory, would it be ok if I share your video with our members, and post it on our site?? I'm sure they would like to see it.
Absolutely...no problem at all. Enjoy! :)
That is Awesome! Thank you for the inspiration.
Thank you Jason
I really like that Great work bud
Thanks 👍
Awesome! About how much would you say this cost you in parts? just the main build itself, not any of the components like the scope or electronics.
I got the shed for $399 and the platform materials was probably another $300 counting about 33 bags of concrete. You can go with cheaper alternatives on the machine skates and just use heavy duty Harbor Freight Casters but you will need to still figure out a way to keep it to the ground. I went with casters and some industrial strength drawer slides on my next build once I moved back to Missouri and that build is found here: ua-cam.com/video/2Zvi5_gusjA/v-deo.html
Great Job.
Thank you!
Fair play, that's pretty awsome
graham garbutt Thank you!
what can you see under the tree ?
I had it trimmed shortly after. Waited to get the scope in place so I didn't take too much out or pay to take out the wrong limbs. East and Southern Sky was exposed. Good enough for subdivision viewing since I had no open horizons under 30 degrees.
Found your observatory video after admiring your patio umbrella concrete mount on Amazon. Just curious...how much is that telescope rig worth? Your equipment seems like it would deserve greater security than a plastic structure can give, but you did a fantastic job with what you used. Are you an engineer by trade? And thanks for sharing!
Thank you. It took a bit of time but currently I have about $12k invested including all telescopes, filters, astronomical cameras, computer equipment and other optical accessories.
No engineer by trade but a manic over thinker. I am currently building my second backyard observatory " a new and improved version". Be sure to join my channel and you will be notified once it is completed which will be soon . 👍
amazing!
This is too awesome
Thank you!
Wow, This is very nice, I love you observatory.
Thank you!
Very nice job, thanks for sharing.
John S Thank you!
Very nice. Source of inspiration. Thanks
Thank you!
if u dnt mind me asking how much was that?
Total cost including shed, concrete and electrical was about $1500 all in. Scope, mount, cameras, cables and computers and such somewhere around $8k
+Under Surveillance 8k at the time. I've since added a solar Scope and two more cameras. I have also moved in 2014 and built a second observatory. Who knows where I am now on the $. Ugh!
Oh for a flat yard !
I hear you!
the scopes a bit small tho'......
I'm really not sure what to make of your comment. This review is about the observatory, not the equipment. However, since you commented a C8 is a very popular size in a Schmidt Cassegrain. At 2032mm in focal length, it's plenty and provides a nice FOV for most objects. I use a focal reducer for DSO's and moon and a 2.5 powermate for Planetary.
I think "Palkazjack" was expecting one of the Kecks or a long 3" f/15 refractor, which look like "real" telescopes. You can make a lot of assumptions from the comment ; )
I was wondering about cool down times for the telescope in the summer. I saw that you have a fan vent in the observatory. Is the fan automated for temperature, or it is something you manually turn on? I imagine the temperature difference can be mitigated quite a bit with an efficient fan for active cooling. If that fan is temperature or even just time of day automated, that could probably cut down on cool down time for the optics - and also be able to start observing closer to spur-of-the-moment and not have to plan hours ahead. As it is now, I set my SCTs outside for at least 90 minutes before I use them. Something that is nearly ready to go like your system seems like it would do wonders for the amount of time you're observing.
Beautiful setup.
The fan is actually a crawl space ventilator that runs on a timer. The purpose was for airflow as these vinyl sheds will heat up during the day however nothing that a scope won't handle. To your point I have never had thermal issues after simply rolling it back and begin to image within 15 minutes or so. Generally, in the summer months by the time it gets dark enough the air temp has equalized to a large degree. I would suggest keeping the air moving during the day mostly for humidity or moisture more for the mount electronics. I have done many spur of the moment uses with this observatory (and this was Texas heat) and I have never had an issue. NOTE: I moved back to Missouri about 2 years ago and I have finally completed another new and improved backyard observatory. Please subscribe to my channel and then stay tuned for my Phase #2 roll off observatory build that I will post soon!