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Pilot's Cross Observatory |
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 Dec 17 2006, 10:51 PM
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#41
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 Planet  Group: Root Admin Joined: 2-November 06 Posts: 822 From: Andover, MN 
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-------------------- Domed 12/17/2006
12.5" RCOS Telescope Paramount ME Mount Pilot's Cross Observatory  45° 15'48.85"N, 93° 21'30.91"W Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) |
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Dec 17 2006, 10:56 PM
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#42
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Planet Group: Root Admin Joined: 2-November 06 Posts: 822 From: Andover, MN
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We have a roof! In the photo you can see some 2x4s in the upper corners. I cut these to width, mitered them and nailed them together to form 90 degrees. I then tacked these on the corners before we placed the roof.
These were put in place to help us align the roof when we set it. They should line up flush with the front of the facia if the roof was on even all the way around. 
-------------------- Domed 12/17/2006
12.5" RCOS Telescope Paramount ME Mount Pilot's Cross Observatory 45° 15'48.85"N, 93° 21'30.91"W Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) |
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Dec 17 2006, 10:58 PM
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#43
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Planet Group: Root Admin Joined: 2-November 06 Posts: 822 From: Andover, MN
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Here you can see the litte frame I made to lift the dome.
-------------------- Domed 12/17/2006
12.5" RCOS Telescope Paramount ME Mount Pilot's Cross Observatory 45° 15'48.85"N, 93° 21'30.91"W Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) |
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Dec 17 2006, 11:01 PM
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#44
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Planet Group: Root Admin Joined: 2-November 06 Posts: 822 From: Andover, MN
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Huston, we have lift-off!
Note the blue skies and lack of snow. All the snomobilers hate me. Its December 17th in Minnesota and we have no snow. Its my fault, I put in a request for no snow until I'm done building! 
-------------------- Domed 12/17/2006
12.5" RCOS Telescope Paramount ME Mount Pilot's Cross Observatory 45° 15'48.85"N, 93° 21'30.91"W Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) |
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Dec 17 2006, 11:02 PM
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#45
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Planet Group: Root Admin Joined: 2-November 06 Posts: 822 From: Andover, MN
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It's official! I'm domed!!!!!
-------------------- Domed 12/17/2006
12.5" RCOS Telescope Paramount ME Mount Pilot's Cross Observatory 45° 15'48.85"N, 93° 21'30.91"W Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) |
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Dec 18 2006, 07:42 AM
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#46
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Star Group: Moderators Joined: 4-June 06 Posts: 1,384 From: Long Lake, NY
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HOW SWEET IT IS!!!!
Thanks for taking the time to take the pics and to post-em!!!! Steve |
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Dec 18 2006, 10:25 AM
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#47
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 President, CAS Group: Moderators Joined: 4-June 06 Posts: 1,554 From: Albemarle County, Virginia
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DB:
Sure is nice to see such a nice observatory coming together! Now for the warm room, huh? Lots still to do, but seeing the dome up there is just plain good for the soul! How are the neighbors on Vintage St. taking all this? I hope they're cool with it. You must not have a HOA to get in the way... Good! Rich -------------------- President, Charlottesville Astronomical Society
Orion Atlas 10 Coronado Ha PST  38° 10' 57"N, 78° 23' 09"W  |
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Dec 18 2006, 12:06 PM
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#48
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Planet Group: Root Admin Joined: 2-November 06 Posts: 822 From: Andover, MN
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Hi Rich,
Yeah, it does feel good to finally have the roof in place. Its been a long haul and I've been worried about it snowing and becoming really miserable to work outside. So far, I've been lucky! (crossing fingers). Hopefully I'll have the warming room up and roofed by this weekend. I'd have never have gotten to this point without all of the help on this forum. You guys are the best! I'm on 1.5 acres and the observatory is tucked behind my back garage. The back of my lot line has a wall of pine trees. I don't think many neighbors know its back there. The nextdoor neighbor, who can see the observatory, said that she doesn't mind that I built it. No, we don't have an HOA. I wouldn't ever buy a house where there was an HOA. I wouldn't want anyone telling me what I could do. That would make me a little crazy! :shock: You'll laugh, but I don't own a telescope and never have owned one. But I almost have an observatory! *chuckle. I'm consdering purchasing a new paramount GEM soon. I'll be going for an OTA somewhere between 10 and 14 inches. Once I know what I'll be buying, then I can figure out the height of the steel pier that will bolt to my cement column. Lots to do but the pressre is off now that I finally have the dome in place! -------------------- Domed 12/17/2006
12.5" RCOS Telescope Paramount ME Mount Pilot's Cross Observatory 45° 15'48.85"N, 93° 21'30.91"W Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) |
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Dec 18 2006, 04:09 PM
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#49
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 Planetoid Group: Moderators Joined: 4-June 06 Posts: 560 From: Bad Moon Observatory 39:54:16N 74:09:0W
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Happy Domed Day!!!
-------------------- As the setting sun / melts below the horizon / the stars applaud her bow. ~W. Terrance~ Bad Moon Observatory - Domed February 1, 2007 |
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Dec 18 2006, 05:07 PM
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#50
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 Just a State of Mind! Group: Administrators Joined: 4-June 06 Posts: 1,340 From: Loves Park, Il.
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Now THATS dedication... Already has an Observatory, but don't own a scope!
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Dec 18 2006, 05:45 PM
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#51
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Planet Group: Root Admin Joined: 2-November 06 Posts: 822 From: Andover, MN
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Well, thank you Ken! Its a happy day indeed!
Neo - My wife might call it something other than dedication! *chuckle. But the way I see it, the whole thing is her fault! Yep....she can't blame anyone but herself. She went to the State Fair this year and saw a hot tub and just had to have one. We bought a softtub and placed it on our deck. So now we're sitting out in the hot tub in October and I'm noticing all of the stars. Then I realize, I know nothing about them. So I find some PC software that has a star chart for my location and time of year. I find it interesting, and start doing some reading. It was then I saw the kinds of photos that could be taken with a good telescope and the right equipment (and knowledge.) I become very interested and decide to buy a telescope. I decide on something between a 10 and 14". Well, they are heavy and take time to set up every time that you want to use them. Knowing myself, I know that I might use one 4 or 5 times and then I'd lose interest because I wouldn't like carrying it out of the house and aligning it every time that I want to use it. Whereas, if I had an observatory where the telescope is set up and ready to go, then I know I'll use it more. Also, I'm into computers and would enjoy automating the entire dome and system. So, you see, the whole deal is my wife's fault because of that darn hot tub she just had to have. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! *Grin -------------------- Domed 12/17/2006
12.5" RCOS Telescope Paramount ME Mount Pilot's Cross Observatory 45° 15'48.85"N, 93° 21'30.91"W Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) |
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Dec 18 2006, 06:13 PM
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#52
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 Galaxy Cluster Group: Moderators Joined: 5-June 06 Posts: 3,692 From: Arizona |
Gee...I guess were all more alike then we think! Especially us Astro folks.
-------------------- Ron Walker
Orion 11" XLT EQ-G ~ Orion 102mm Mak Burgess 38mm ~ Stratus 21mm and 13mm Dyanscope 4" (1950's vintage) Nikon F 35mm ~ Canon 300D Planetaria: Goto E-5 (Viewlex) ~ Spitz A3P ~ Minolta/Viewlex Series II B |
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Dec 18 2006, 06:27 PM
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#53
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Planetoid Group: Moderators Joined: 4-June 06 Posts: 560 From: Bad Moon Observatory 39:54:16N 74:09:0W
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QUOTE(dbeckstrom) So, you see, the whole deal is my wife's fault because of that darn hot tub she just had to have. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! *Grin
I like your way of thinking!! A motto that I live by is "If you don't have a good excuse .... blame someone else" Ken 8) -------------------- As the setting sun / melts below the horizon / the stars applaud her bow. ~W. Terrance~ Bad Moon Observatory - Domed February 1, 2007 |
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Dec 18 2006, 07:48 PM
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#54
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 Planetoid Group: Validating Joined: 5-June 06 Posts: 646 From: 41:20:62 N 75:46:20W Duryea, Pennsylvania |
WOW! I thought I was looking at my project all over again. EXCELLENT JOB on the roof transistion. Very professional.
Congrats on getting DOMED! -------------------- Mark
Compass Rose Observatory in the Building Stage Celestron NS-11 Meade SN-8 LXD-55 Celestron 80mm Canon 10D Meade DSI |
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Dec 18 2006, 09:26 PM
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#55
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Planet Group: Root Admin Joined: 2-November 06 Posts: 822 From: Andover, MN
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Hi Mark,
Experience a bit of deja' vu? *chuckle Your posts were very well documented and easy to follow. You figured out the hard stuff and had really great ideas. Thanks for all the time you put into sharing your build with us. Tomorrow I'll start on the warming room walls. Hopefully by this weekend the outside will be all done. Thanks for the kind words, too. Merry Christmas to everyone. Dave -------------------- Domed 12/17/2006
12.5" RCOS Telescope Paramount ME Mount Pilot's Cross Observatory 45° 15'48.85"N, 93° 21'30.91"W Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) |
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Dec 18 2006, 10:58 PM
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#56
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President, CAS Group: Moderators Joined: 4-June 06 Posts: 1,554 From: Albemarle County, Virginia
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Dave:
Is this your new observatory site? Fun with Google Maps... Rich 
-------------------- President, Charlottesville Astronomical Society
Orion Atlas 10 Coronado Ha PST 38° 10' 57"N, 78° 23' 09"W |
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Dec 18 2006, 11:18 PM
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#57
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Planet Group: Root Admin Joined: 2-November 06 Posts: 822 From: Andover, MN
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Rich,
Yes, that would be it! -------------------- Domed 12/17/2006
12.5" RCOS Telescope Paramount ME Mount Pilot's Cross Observatory 45° 15'48.85"N, 93° 21'30.91"W Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) |
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Dec 19 2006, 07:53 AM
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#58
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Dust Disk Group: Members Joined: 11-July 06 Posts: 106 From: Holmen, WI |
Nice photo Rich, I checked Google and found my house, but no dome yet. I wonder how often they update pictures? It does have the latest road changes, so It can't be too old.
Gene |
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Dec 19 2006, 03:05 PM
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#59
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Just a State of Mind! Group: Administrators Joined: 4-June 06 Posts: 1,340 From: Loves Park, Il.
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More popular regions are updated every 3-5 years. Older rural areas a lot less often.
Major Metro areas are going to be updated within a year. The sat images are getting more and more detailed, as cameras are becoming more high-tech.
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Dec 19 2006, 03:43 PM
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#60
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President, CAS Group: Moderators Joined: 4-June 06 Posts: 1,554 From: Albemarle County, Virginia
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Dave:
Whats that big round thing in your driveway? It looks too big to be an ExploraDome... Like Ken, I like your way of thinking! It's all her fault for getting the hot tub! 
You're also right on target with the desire to get a dome. You'll use your new scope more that way. We all know that the best scope you've got is the one you use the most. The ExploraDome will make the new RCOS 14 ( :shock: ) on it's Paramount ( :?: :?: :?:  :?: :?: :?: ) shine with the light of a thousand suns! :twisted:
That's MY story and I'm stickin' to it! :wink: Rich -------------------- President, Charlottesville Astronomical Society
Orion Atlas 10 Coronado Ha PST 38° 10' 57"N, 78° 23' 09"W |
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