AN OBSERVATORY FOR THE GARDEN

Discussion in 'Members Hobbies' started by ARMANDII, Aug 12, 2015.

  1. ARMANDII

    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2019
    Messages:
    48,096
    Gender:
    Male
    Ratings:
    +100,834
    Hi Sheal, yes, it has been worth the wait, especially after that night.

    Well, imagine you're out there in the dark peering through a telescope and what you can see is a dark, but glowing, cloud with lots of "arms" and twists in it, [but when you were looking through the binoculars it was just a small smudge in the skies], and then in that cloud are three or more bright dots. What takes your breath away is when you realise that the light you are seeing from the glowing cloud and the three or more bright spots has taken over 245 Light years to get to your eye. Then you remember that a [light] year is one where light travels nearly 6 trillion miles in that one year], but then you have to multiply that by 245 so you then know that the light from that particular Nebula and those stars has travelled 1470 trillion miles to get to you!! Also, you know that the Cloud might appear small in your eye but actually is probably billions of miles in width and depth and that the 3 or more stars probably have planets orbiting them.........Oh, Yes, it's fascinating!!
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
      Last edited by a moderator: May 18, 2016
    • ARMANDII

      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

      Joined:
      Jan 12, 2019
      Messages:
      48,096
      Gender:
      Male
      Ratings:
      +100,834
      Hi Shiney, thanks. Once I had got the problem of water seeping under the base sorted I got my head down and starting working on it every day, with one day looking at my watch to find it had gone 10pm. I managed to scrape and cut my hands as though I had been fighting a cat!!. But, because I had already ordered, and stowed most of the stuff going into the Observatory to get it up and running in the garage, I was able to go from one phase to the next without any real delay.

      Regarding :cat-kittyandsmiley:, they follow me to the Observatory and sit outside miaowing in protest at the closed door. I have allowed them both in once so they get satisfy that Cat curiosity and catalogue all the new smells etc.:heehee:
       
      • Informative Informative x 2
      • Like Like x 1
        Last edited by a moderator: Jan 30, 2016
      • Apple Blossom

        Apple Blossom Total Gardener

        Joined:
        May 10, 2015
        Messages:
        1,501
        Gender:
        Female
        Location:
        Bramshaw
        Ratings:
        +3,028
        Totally agree, what a wonderful hobby :)
         
        • Like Like x 1
        • Agree Agree x 1
        • ARMANDII

          ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

          Joined:
          Jan 12, 2019
          Messages:
          48,096
          Gender:
          Male
          Ratings:
          +100,834
          Hi Fern, sorry for the delay in replying. There's no heating in the Observatory as you've have to keep equipment at nearly the same temperature as outside otherwise warm air carries moisture and when it cools it puts a film of dew onto the glass corrector plates on the SCT telescopes and then you can't see!!
          I keep as warm as toast as I wear my Fishing Jacket which keeps you warm down past -15c. I also wear my Fishing thermal boots [just warm wellies!!:heehee:] so my feet are are warm and then I wear a woolly hat to make me look like the Mad Axe Man!!:hate-shocked::snork:
           
          • Funny Funny x 3
          • shiney

            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

            Joined:
            Jul 3, 2006
            Messages:
            60,997
            Gender:
            Male
            Occupation:
            Retired - Last Century!!!
            Location:
            Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
            Ratings:
            +117,293
            I saw your picture on the 'Wanted' poster :blue thumb:
             
            • Like Like x 1
            • Funny Funny x 1
            • ARMANDII

              ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

              Joined:
              Jan 12, 2019
              Messages:
              48,096
              Gender:
              Male
              Ratings:
              +100,834
              upload_2016-1-31_19-34-5.jpeg
               
            • shiney

              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

              Joined:
              Jul 3, 2006
              Messages:
              60,997
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Retired - Last Century!!!
              Location:
              Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
              Ratings:
              +117,293
              I'd recognise anywhere!
               
              • Friendly Friendly x 1
              • ARMANDII

                ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

                Joined:
                Jan 12, 2019
                Messages:
                48,096
                Gender:
                Male
                Ratings:
                +100,834
                I apologise for the poor quality of the pics but it's a bit difficult taking pics, without a flash, in the dark but I thought you might like an idea of what it looks like in the Observatory when using the Telescopes:

                With a flash
                [​IMG]

                The small heater and work light are no longer there.
                [​IMG]

                Red light will not make you lose your night vision, which increases over time in the dark.
                [​IMG]

                [​IMG]

                [​IMG]

                [​IMG]

                [​IMG]

                Actually, the red LED lighting is a lot dimmer [you can dim or raise the brightness] than in the images. I use the red light initially while pulling back the shutter, sorting out the power, computer settings, and the seat. After that the LED lighting goes off and you're in the dark......lovely!!:snork::coffee:
                 
                • Like Like x 5
                • Informative Informative x 1
                • Bilbo675

                  Bilbo675 Total Gardener

                  Joined:
                  Mar 15, 2011
                  Messages:
                  4,495
                  Gender:
                  Male
                  Occupation:
                  Gardener & Plant Sales
                  Location:
                  South Derbyshire
                  Ratings:
                  +6,654
                  Only just seen this thread!!!!:doh:

                  :wow: That is amazing @ARMANDII :hate-shocked: :dbgrtmb: :thud: :yahoo: :rolleyespink: :pathd:, I must admit I'm a tad envious :snork:

                  Looking forward to further progress reports and maybe photos too :dbgrtmb:
                   
                  • Agree Agree x 1
                  • Friendly Friendly x 1
                  • shiney

                    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                    Joined:
                    Jul 3, 2006
                    Messages:
                    60,997
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Occupation:
                    Retired - Last Century!!!
                    Location:
                    Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                    Ratings:
                    +117,293
                    I like the LED lighting appearing as stars. :ideaIPB: :blue thumb:
                     
                    • Agree Agree x 3
                    • Like Like x 1
                    • Sheal

                      Sheal Total Gardener

                      Joined:
                      Feb 2, 2011
                      Messages:
                      35,545
                      Gender:
                      Female
                      Location:
                      Beauly, Inverness-shire. Zone 9a
                      Ratings:
                      +52,310
                      It was good to see the set up inside Armandii. :dbgrtmb: Does it feel claustrophobic in there?
                       
                    • ARMANDII

                      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

                      Joined:
                      Jan 12, 2019
                      Messages:
                      48,096
                      Gender:
                      Male
                      Ratings:
                      +100,834
                      Not really, Sheal, despite the spread legs of the tripod and the telescope/dew shield being just over 4' long there's plenty of space. When the red LED lighting is switched off the shutter is usually pulled open letting in the Star/Moon light. If the shutter is closed and the lighting is off it's completely black inside the observatory....which is when I either stub my toe on something or bang my head on the telescope, [which doesn't move!!], and I then trying to grope around trying to find a switch for some sort of lighting or the handle to the door:doh::heehee:
                       
                      • Funny Funny x 1
                      • Informative Informative x 1
                      • ARMANDII

                        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

                        Joined:
                        Jan 12, 2019
                        Messages:
                        48,096
                        Gender:
                        Male
                        Ratings:
                        +100,834
                        :snork: But the light is fairly dim, [a bit like me:dunno:] and nowhere near as bright as in the images.:coffee:
                         
                        • Like Like x 1
                        • Funny Funny x 1
                        • "M"

                          "M" Total Gardener

                          Joined:
                          Aug 11, 2012
                          Messages:
                          18,607
                          Location:
                          The Garden of England
                          Ratings:
                          +31,885
                          I'll be brutally honest: I have *no* interest in observatories, star gazing (other than the excitement I felt on moving here and seeing my very first shooting star :yahoo: :thud: ) JFK's space programme, Patrick Moore, Sky at night, or anything else associated with "The Dark Side" :hate-shocked:

                          But, for all of that, I do confess ... :redface: ... I have found this thread to be really, no *really* interesting, informative, amusing and ... worthy of reading! :dbgrtmb: I'm thoroughly enjoying it :heehee:

                          Bravo that man :yay:
                           
                          • Like Like x 2
                          • ARMANDII

                            ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

                            Joined:
                            Jan 12, 2019
                            Messages:
                            48,096
                            Gender:
                            Male
                            Ratings:
                            +100,834

                            :hate-shocked::yikes::runforhills:

                            :ThankYou::wub2:
                             
                            • Like Like x 1
                            • Friendly Friendly x 1
                            Loading...

                            Share This Page

                            1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                              By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                              Dismiss Notice