Observatory tour

[@davidaylsworth8964]

It’s always interesting to see how other amateur astrophotographers set up their observatories. Thanks for the look behind the scenes.

[@donstronomy7606]

Thanks' David. You are welcome.

[@Michael.Chapman]

Congratulations, great to see your ‘scope home’-I like the hail resistance of the metal construction too:-) As a Sydneysider I admire the clear, deep inky black skies outside Bathurst at 900m elevation-wishing you much enjoyment of your marvelous facility!

[@donstronomy7606]

Hi Michael, Yes the metal roof does have that advantage. The skies are great when the clouds are away. Not very often at the moment. Thanks for the like.

[@billlachenmeyer7506]

Beautiful job. You've convinced me to add a second monitor I my observatory.

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you Bill 😊

[@Thurgosh_OG]

I really enjoyed watching you construction video, this update/tour was a nice addition.

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you very much Thurgosh, hope to do more like it down the track

[@TheCerealHobbyist]

What a great space and set up! Congrats mate, and very well done!!

[@donstronomy7606]

Thankyou Bionic Wi-Fi. I love the space too. pardon the punt! Love your handle too. Reminds me of a great Wi-Fi SSID I cam across one time. The Wi-Fi name was 'Tell my Wi-Fi love her' Lol

[@tubedude54]

That's really an interesting design. I would have to do one that is totally weather-tite though as the first blizzard to hit would fill the thing with a foot or two of fine snow powder.

[@donstronomy7606]

Hi Rat, yeah you may be right. I have had about 3 inch's of snow on the roof. I would not want much more than that. Lucky for me it only snows a couple of times a year were I live and never more than a few inch's.

[@cragar55]

Thanks for sharing. You've done a great job!

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@CRAZYAUSTRALIABLOG]

Great job looking good definitely gives idea of there cost and how to build it . Thanks for sharing

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank's Daniel, glad you enjoyed it.

[@dgodiex]

Awesome, congrats! hope you can make it relliably automatic in the future, it'll make your life a lot easier. Loved the design.

[@donstronomy7606]

I hope so too! Thank you.

[@marianmusic7221]

You've done a great job! Thanks for the video and clear skies!

[@donstronomy7606]

Thanks' Marian, fingers crossed for the clear skies.

[@Wolfie6020]

Nice work. I enjoyed watching this while it is cloudy tonight in Perth. (I live in Sydney but travel a lot) I am envious of your skies in Bathurst and know the area well. Congratulations on a fabulous observatory. We move to New Zealand when I retire and I plan to build one then too. Liked and subbed.

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you Wolfie, I too love the skies when we can see them. Lol.. Good luck with your observatory build.

[@pnjunction5689]

What a beautiful place and a wonderful observatory! Well done!

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you very much. Yes we love it here, just wish the skies would clear up again.

[@AAE-cg1il]

Saw your construction video. That’s a great design for your climate and equipment choice. I also dream about having an observatory but I don’t have the land for it nor the skies to justify it. I plan to move at retirement in a few years and that will factor great.y in my choice. May your skies be dark………

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you. Good luck to you for the future, with your choices. CS Don

[@francoispineau7021]

Good Job !! Congratulations from France. I have a similar project in my garden, just little différent, not coupole but opening roof. Your expérience is great help for me. Thanks

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you. I am glad that I have helped in some way.

[@jimlothridge8356]

Thank You, this video gave me several great ideas. I live in Maine, USA and I am getting too old to be out in our winter months. I looked at fiberglass domes and just can not justify one. I think I can make this work. Thanks again

[@donstronomy7606]

Hi Jim, I'm really glad you got some ideas from this. Love youtube for this reason. I have gained so much from watching others also. Hope all goes well so you dont have to do another winter outside. Thanks for watching. Don

[@azorelow]

thx for the video. i like your observatory! greetings from germany!

[@donstronomy7606]

I am glad you liked it azorelow, thank you for watching.

[@jonathanblack3123]

Great Video: thank you Don. Lots of very interesting novel new ideas. Thanks once again.

[@donstronomy7606]

Thanks' Jonathan. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@aplummer57037]

Great video Don, thank you for explaining how it works & your design decisions. I like your idea about getting the cables out from under foot.

[@donstronomy7606]

Hi Andrew, thanks for the comment. Yes the rubber mats do a good job of that also.

[@williamsouthall1048]

thanks so much for your video! great build!

[@donstronomy7606]

Thanks William, glad you enjoyed.

[@psuaero100]

Great observatory... I watched the earlier time lapse and it was awesome! It that an Edge HD 11? I assume you shoot native long focal length, reduced focal length, and then short focal length by moving the camera to the front. That's a great combo out of one scope.

[@donstronomy7606]

Hi psuaero, The scope is an Edge HD 9.25. Yes all those combo's are available. I have the hyperstar, and the 0.7 reducer. Combined with a few different sensor sizes gives you many fields of view. Take car. Don

[@AzimuthAviation]

Brilliant and nicely done!!!

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you, Roy.

[@crimsonkris]

Beautiful observatory❤. No need for a traditional dome

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you very much for your nice comment. I'm glad you like it. The flat roof has worked for me so far. I will be upgrading to a motorised roller door instead of the sliding hatch in the future. Mainly for remote operation. CS Don

[@cemoguz2786]

very good observatory function over anything else for me.

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you, It is still work in progress, I hope to motorise it one day soon. Thanks for watching

[@MrTyroneweaver]

I've thought of a start would be a couple of rings from a metal grain bin.

[@donstronomy7606]

Okay, I can see that. Similar to a corrugated rain tank? If that is what you are talking about then yes. I had a similar thought originally of buying a water tank 3m circumference, and then using that as the frame work for the observatory. Would have to do some creative bracing?

[@MarkSeve]

Love it. Thank you for sharing brother. Ants: Diatomaceous earth.

[@donstronomy7606]

Your welcome Mark. Thanks for the diatomaceous earth tip. Just looked it up as I have not heard of it before. Nice to see an organic solution. Cheers Don

[@MarkSeve]

@@donstronomy7606 happy to help anytime. Yeah, I hadn't heard about it either, until I had to make a trip to a diatomaceous earth manufacturing plant to fix their network. Had to get in a bunny suit just to be anywhere near the stuff. Its some sort of crystalized rock, that they grind into a dust like powder. Critters walk through it, get it on themselves, take it home, then they clean themselves, get it into their system, and it cuts them from the inside, neighbor ants will consume their dead friend, and it will kill them as well. Non-toxic. Good in gardens. No, I don't work for them. lol Should take care of your ant problem. Safe for pets. Nice to get a reply to a post that isn't some 3rd world scammer.

[@R2robot]

Cool setup! Any other pests getting in there besides the ants? I live in Texas in the US, I'm sure I'd get tons of wasps and spiders coming through those small air gaps.

[@donstronomy7606]

Yes, I do get some spiders, just have to stay on top of them. Wasps have not discovered it yet. Touch wood!

[@rwcoley3057]

I live in texas also, the mud daubers would love it!

[@stephencox3446]

Well done Don, I live in North Lincolnshire, England UK. I have only just got my first scope and have learnt so much from people like your self. Have always been interested in this subject but never been able to justify the expenditure, I am in a comfortable position now to be able to start my dream. Astrophotography is in preparation. Keep up with the videos, you are one of many people that have inspired me to get on with my dream.

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you Stephen, I wish you well for the frustrating but rewarding times ahead. Thanks' for the kind words. Don

[@unluggylounge674]

fanastc video mate and thanks for the detailed observatory tour, well done

[@donstronomy7606]

Cheers, glad you liked it.

[@paulgracey4697]

If I am right you seem to have mixed some aluminium into the construction. I hope you used stainless bolts and nuts and maybe some plastic isolation washers since you risk some galvanic corrosion where the two metals join. May be not such a problem if you live far enough from the sea.

[@donstronomy7606]

Thanks Paul, very observant man. The roof is zincalume and we are far from the sea..

[@dumpydalekobservatory]

Nice observatory Don I ought to do a tour on mine sometime as it's a home built one but not by me, I to have a mini PC on the pier & I connect to it remotely. Nice scope you have to which makes me wonder what is the point of RASA's? I own one but not by choice & like you say you have one scope that can effectively have 3 focal lengths much better system if you ask me.

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank's for liking the observatory. I have not used a RASA so I cant really give a comparison between the two. The flexibility of the EDGE HD is what sold me. With a couple of different cameras gives me up to six different fields of view. I guess It works out cheaper to just use the RASA as there is no need to purchase the Hyperstar lens.

[@woody5109]

Pretty cool idea, love it.

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you, Woody

[@SkyCharter]

Inspiring. Thanks!

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you SkyCharter

[@sureshlingabathina]

Excellent

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you Suresh, glad you liked it.

[@92mrkite]

Your flat rotating roof is a clever idea! Any plans for motorization?

[@donstronomy7606]

Hi Jean, yes I do plan to motorise it . Probably just the roof at this stage. I will probably use stepper motor and arduino combination. Hope to do a video about that one day soon.

[@neiltonks]

9.25? it looks huge. looking forward to some great content from you.

[@donstronomy7606]

Thanks Neil, I think some of the camera angles make it look bigger then it is. At least, thats what my wife says. Lol.

[@andyrawlins]

Very nice - I'm jealous :)

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you very much Andy. CS Don

[@ManishFrenchStudio]

Lovely 🌹

[@donstronomy7606]

Thank you Manish.

[@woody5109]

Love the T, just noticed it 🤣🤣🤣

[@donstronomy7606]

It is good. I can get away with saying anything now. LOL

[@Luftbubblan]

Nice

[@donstronomy7606]

Thanks

[@sophietaylor9753]

Nice setup! Why not just turn off the monitors, though? Also, I love the checklists on the wall!

[@donstronomy7606]

I'm not that smart Sophie. Lol. I find it easier when I am getting quick test shoots to just close the blinds. Don't have to wake the monitors. Oh dear! I forgot about the checklist. Might have to change them.

[@flyinglenses4shini4]

I’m considering building my own Astro photography room but can’t think of anything that will suit my need while making it cheep 😭

[@donstronomy7606]

I hope you can work it out. Good luck. Hope this gives you some ideas. Don

[@flyinglenses4shini4]

@@donstronomy7606 yes it does thank you very much 😁🤞🏻

[@howardhadley9820]

😕 ᑭᖇOᗰOᔕᗰ

[@jerrybrown6169]

use borax on your ants

[@donstronomy7606]

I'm a sucker Jerry. I never learnt how to man up!

[@theNikonGuy]

You need to control that mouth click noise you do. So annoying!