Quote:
Originally Posted by andyschlei
Rick,
Your second shot makes me homesick for my parent's place. They live on Conway Lake in the UP (northern Michigan near Big Bay -- zip 49808 for those who might look for it). I wish I had such a view from my window as you have from yours. I think you said that most of the time you stay inside while the observatory works, that would explain how you could work during mosquito and fly season.
--Andy
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You forgot the midge flies in spring and -30 and colder come winter. When I first set up the observatory using a ST-7 and 6" f/4 in April of 2006 it was midge season. After only an hour so many had flown into the screen then fallen into the keboard soon the computer keys failed. A lot of vacuuming later the keys worked again. I quickly finished the ethernet link to the house before using it with the computer again.
The scope is 16 feet above ground level. I've attached a shot of the observatory from the ground and a shot from the deck leading to it -- of the lake that is. Note there's no one out there and not just where the camera's looking. There are only 18 full time residents of my 36 square mile township. I have very dark skies! The scope's pier is 20' tall, 6 of which is below ground and part of a 10'x8' pad of concrete 6" thick 6' under the observatory. It's topped by a 2 foot steel pier and then the Paramount. It doesn't touch the building at any point to isolate it from any motion. I've attached a shot of the scope. Note it is nearly as high as the roof of a 2 story house. I'll let you ponder why there's a small piece of second surface mirror attached to the back of the telescope.
Rick