Planning permission granted

[TerryMcK]

For a pier! No this isn’t the local council it is from a much higher authority namely my wife. Over the past few years she has seen me put the tripods out into the yard and seen me polar align. She asked if there was anything that could be done to improve the situation. I said a permanent pier would be the best option. After a site survey today she gave planning permission with the proviso that I will outline below.

 

For the past few months I left one of the mounts out under an Altair Astro extra large heavy duty telescope cover (they are excellent BTW) https://www.altairastro.com/altair-telescope-cover-for-refractors-newtonians-scts-13111-p.asp and this has drastically reduced the amount of time it takes to get setup. However there is still the risk of kicking a tripod leg and putting it out of alignment. 

 

One thing I can’t really have is a full size observatory or roll off roof shed due to space limitations and in the summer the yard is used as an eating/entertaining area weather permitting. The proviso to granting the planning application is if we need extra room for additional tables to seat many people then either the pier can be unbolted or a wooden box can be fabricated to cover the pier. I have visions of the latter with a sundial on top that becomes a sort of table decoration between two tables 😂

If we are having a small gathering of around 6 people then we only need one table and therefore the pier will not impinge.

 

We also have 3 large gardens that contain mature trees with TPOs on them. So siting an observatory in the gardens is not an option as trees and astro are not best bed friends. The best place is where I have the tripods set up.

 

I have worked out how I will dig the foundation hole. We are on clay so I won’t be doing it by hand but utilising machinery courtesy of HSS Hire. I will drill a few test bores first of all to make sure there isn’t any ancient settlement underneath (Time Team would need to be called out!) Also I don’t want to hit any drainage pipes or buried electrical cables. I expect drainage pipes would be well below the surface but you never know.

 

The pier is going to be the Altair Astro https://www.altairastro.com/altair-skyshed-8-inch-observatory-pier-heavy-duty-w-anti-vibration-fins-441-p.asp Skyshed 8inch. 

 

 

Which looks just the job.

 

Timescale is probably the next factor. Either October to dig the hole/pour concrete or next April. Either way I will be ordering the bits soon and will update this thread.

[Astrobdlbug]

Terry,

sounds like a great plan, I have the same pier, bought from Altair Astro about 10 years ago, its absolutely solid and looks as good today as when I first took delivery of it. I did dig the foundation manually, but I was 10 years younger then 😁...

 

Look forward to the updates,

 

Bryan

 

 

 

 

[RaDec]

I once planned to go down that route. It would be the only way I could do anything here - 500 year old listed thatch cottage. Interested to see/hear how it progresses. 

[Carastro]

Oh dear, some of you do have struggles to get permission off your wives to make your AP easier.  But glad you finally have permission  Terry.  I had no idea you had to set up every time.  
 

l am very lucky to have an easy going husband who gave permission 13 years ago after only a couple of years of setting up every time.  

Edited September 6, 2023 by Carastro

[TerryMcK]

1 hour ago, Carastro said:

Oh dear, some of you do have struggles to get permission off your wives to make your AP easier.  But glad you finally have permission  Terry.  I had no idea you had to set up every time.  
 

l am very lucky to have an easy going husband who gave permission 13 years ago after only a couple of years of setting up every time.  

Yes Carole I have left the mount setup on its tripod "permanently" since around June this year covered up with the Altair Astro scope cover. I just have to put the scope on and connect a couple of cables and away I go. I have got fed up with polar aligning everytime and at least it is polar aligned now. The pier should make it even easier as there is no fear of kicking it out of alignment.

 

Nasa and ESA don't have these issues 😂