Looking for advice on a build

[Astrodad]

Hi Everyone

The one who must be obeyed (Wife) has given me permission to have a permanent shed/Observatory in the garden. Now we are not talking luxurious, I have about 6ftx6ft to play with as our back garden is the size of a postage stamp. The area is all astro turfed so i have to take that into account also and do something that would leave minimal damage if I was then to remove the build if in years to come we move. 

I was thinking of a plastic/metal shed that I could just take the roof off to shoot and place back on afterwards. And either just use the tripod or get a permanent pier fitted. Easiest/quickest option would be If I was to use my current HEQ5 and tripod I could place some slabs down on the floor for the tripod legs to give them stability and add a tripod extension tube thingy to give me the height needed to clear the shed sides. Or I could cut three holes in the shed flooring for the tripod to go straight onto the astro turf so when walking in the shed it wouldn't effect the tripod.

Ideally though a fixed pier would be a better option for a set up and leave solution but I need to absolutely minimise any damage to the astro turf. I could cut a hole in the shed flooring to accommodate it my issue is what needs to happen for the fixing, I could potentially lift the astro turf and dig the foundation and concrete in a base, put the astro turf back down and then bolt a pier on top of it so that would only leave a few bolt holes in the astro turf rather than cutting an area out. Or is there another option to consider? Put a concrete block inside the shed and bolt a pier to that, although how heavy would it be to get it inside in the first place??!

Any ideas or solutions you can come up with would be greatly appreciated, Its something I've always wanted as I'm fed up of dragging everything outside when we have a clear night and having to set it all up and polar align etc and now i have the opportunity to do this its freaking me out. Lol 

[AstronomyUkraine]

Posted by: @Astrodad

Or is there another option to consider?

Here is an option that requires you to cut a hole in the shed floor, but would require no concrete base, or holes cut into your astroturf. The tripod is 100mm in diameter, and 890mm tall.

Skywatcher Column tripod with suitable connection for HEQ-5 mount

[Astrodad]

@AstronomyUkraine That looks promising and do those feet adjust to make it all level. I would need to investigate the height of it to see if with the HEQ5 mount on top it would give me the right height to clear the shed sides. What site was this on?

[AstronomyUkraine]

Posted by: @Astrodad

That looks promising and do those feet adjust to make it all level. I would need to investigate the height of it to see if with the HEQ5 mount on top it would give me the right height to clear the shed sides. What site was this on?

The height is 890mm. Yes the feet are adjustable to level the tripod. The only sites in the UK I found that sells these tripods are these.

Bristol Cameras

Widescreen Centre

Optical Vision

[Astrodad]

@AstronomyUkraine Thanks. It also seem Altair Astro sell a similar product which stands 1m when opened up - https://www.altairastro.com/altair-tri-pier-for-skywatcher--celestron-blue-2525-p.asp and you can also add the extension tube on top for extra height

 

[Feock]

Hi, I built an outside pier before building my main observatory. I wanted an observatory in a box.  I simply dug a rather big hole of nearly 2 cubic meters and filled it with concrete and broken tiles that I had on hand and then bolted a very substantial pier on top. All my power and control cables are moused through some substantial buried water pipe. On top of the pier, I built a super lightweight box made from 25mm kingspan foil-backed insulation covered with a single layer of fibreglass matt and resin. The box is super strong and near airtight. I leave a small dehumidifier running in the box and overwinter may add a small tube heater. I also have a burglar alarm connected to the house system on the box. The two external wires visible are temporary and will be removed.

The pier was fabricated locally and is a 300 mm square section of pipe with a flange on both ends and brackets to hold the base of the box. Cables run up the inside of the pier.

I need to go back and pretty all this up a bit but my telescope and mount are in a very dry well-insulated environment and it literally takes about 2 minutes to lift the box off and start imaging. 

Cost wise I suspect this is on par with a shed arrangement.  If you get you sizings correct it is possible to hinge on one edge to make the reveal process even easier.

I simply manage this rig via a laptop next to it (230v power is there) or operate it from inside my observatory.

If I ever had to remove this observatory it is only 4 nuts to be undone.

Good luck and hope this idea is of use to someone.

 

Ross

[AstronomyUkraine]

@Astrodad With the tripod, extension and the mount, you should have at least 1.5 meters height. Plenty enough to clear the sides of any observatory you will erect.

[Jkulin]

Before you do anything at all, I would recommend your prioritise as follows: -

1. Dig out ready for a concrete block at least 75cm x 75cm

2, Forget about a tripod, it will always get knocked and defeat the object of having an Obsy where you can take advantage or an hour here and an hour there without having to PA each time.

I can let you have the drawings that my engineer mate made up for me as a permanent pier, just shout and I'll post them up.

Once you have that then you really will have excellent foundations to build your Obsy on.

For about 3 years, I used the above setup and then finally built my observatory around that: -

https://www.backyardastro.org/community/observatories/my-pulsar-22m-dome-mkiii/

 

[Astrodad]

@Jkulin Hi, thank you for that and yes I agree, get the base in first and work from there. Your base was it also 75cm deep?

Been looking at Piers online and they all seem very expensive for what they are so if you could post up you drawing for one I'm sure going to a steel fabricator it would be cheaper 

[Jkulin]

Posted by: @Astrodad

@Jkulin Hi, thank you for that and yes I agree, get the base in first and work from there. Your base was it also 75cm deep?

Been looking at Piers online and they all seem very expensive for what they are so if you could post up you drawing for one I'm sure going to a steel fabricator it would be cheaper 

John-Model.pdfPier Drawing.pdf

Here you go, I used an Altair Astro Pier plate, which has worked beautifully for when I had my AZEQ6GT and iOptron 40EC and 120EC, I have had to get a plate made for the 120EC, but my mate owns an engineering company, so that was the easy bit.

Yes the pier block is 75cm x 75cm x 75cm, I have a very bad back so I got a builders mate to dig and pour the concrete and then gave it a couple of weeks to go off.

Altair Astro do do a brilliant pier that you might want to look at https://www.altairastro.com/altair-skyshed-8-inch-observatory-pier-with-anti-vibration-fins-441-p.asp

[Carastro]

Just wondering why you need to preserve the Astroturf underneath the obsy.  Can't you just remove the bit underneath?  

Anyway, I agree with John, a tripod inside a 6' x 6' obsy is going to get in the way, and get kicked, plus there is the vibration to worry about with you moving around inside.  I'd install a pier and make sure it is separated from the floor.  

Lifting a roof off in one piece also sounds like a tall order unless you are going to make it into a ROR.

Carole 

[Astrodad]

@Carastro Hi Carole, I didn't want to cut or remove part of the astro turf just in case we decide to move and then it leaves a hole behind so I'd rather pull it back, lay a concrete base then bolt the pier into it through the astro turf so only leaving a few tiny bolt holes which wouldn't be visible if taken away. was looking at a plastic shed so the roof wouldn't weigh too much anyway to lift off and then replace at the end but yes a roll on/off DIY solution would be the ideal solution. I have space for a 6x6 build and am also considering just saving up for a proper wooden build for someone like homeobservatoryuk 

[Carbon Brush]

Maybe not everyone thinks this way. But to me, when you are buying a house, a bit of 'carved' astroturf is a minor niggle.
The cost of repair/replacement, by the new owner is a tiny proportion of the house cost.

Wood sheds don't always dismantle to travel well, or may not be suited to your new home, or you will have thought of a better way to build an observatory by then.
Just leave the Mk1 observatory/shed when you go. Then build a bigger and better Mk2.

Just my thoughts. Free advice is often worth only what you pay for it.
Good luck with the build.

David.