The purpose of this article is to describe in detail how to design and build a domed observatory for a large amateur telescope. Melsheimer is an excellent guide strategically outlining the necessary criteria in planning and constructing an observatory designed to house a researchgrade telescope. The dome comes with a 45 high wall with reverse flange, with a built in 19 wide door. Observadomes are designed to withstand some of the most extreme environmental conditions, found anywhere in the world. Lesvedomenet is an cheap diy solution to slave the dome to the telescope. Dome plate plan a myriad of factors were considered in designing the. The weatherlink software connects directly through ddw with dome interlocks. Handson expertise with different brands and styles of dome observatories and telescope systems. Computer based dome automation package, hardware and software. Technical innovations 6 home dome observatory tall 45.
The pd10 can accommodate most schmidtcassegrain telescopes up to 16 and newtonians on german equatorials up to 16 diameter. Talon is a a fully automated opensource solution for automated telescope and observatory control. Thanks to the advanced design and low weight of nexdome, the observatory can be assembled in just a few hours. Designing and building a geodesicdomed observatory nacaa. Rubin observatory vro, previously referred to as the large synoptic survey telescope lsst, is an astronomical observatory currently under construction in chile. Observatory automation putman mountain observatory.
The solution is the skyshed pod personal observatory dome a sensiblypriced personal observatory that combines an evolutionary patent pending design with the same longlasting material thats been used for decades in agricultural products and outdoor structures worldwide. A homemade observatory project by stephen charnock how to begin. The difficult task of creating the observatory dome has been done for you. The scopedome range of dome and clamshell observatory solutions is an evolving concept of a dozen professional companys research for the development of the finest domeclamshell observatory solutions from 2m to 5. Download talon observatory control software for free. Talon controls all aspects of robotic astronomical observations, including telescope control, dome control, image processing, scheduled operations, and envi. The totally open design is more versatile in that almost any type of instrument can be set up as long as space and headroom allow. It is the job of the dome control software to do this for you. The observatory dome is constructed of polystyrene beadboard coated with a thin layer of reinforced concrete stucco. Detailed wood dome plans observatories cloudy nights. Designing a dome observatory appears easy because it is a simple shape, based on the simplest figure, the circle. Nexdome, the most affordable and true personal obervatory. Designed 100% with 3d software, our domes meet the.
By day, he works in software engineering, but once the sun goes down, he opens a window to the heavens right in his own backyard. Technical innovations 6 home dome observatory tall 45 wall technical innovations six foot observatory dome tall the pd6, six foot dome tall, is designed for a standalone installation, most often on a concrete pad or deck. As part of my deliberations, i needed to see what the observatory would look like in my own garden so as part of my selling the idea to my wife, i made a composite photograph of our garden and an existing 7 foot dome so that i could show her what it would look like at worst case i. The rubin observatory has a widefield reflecting telescope with an 8. The amateur astronomer designed and built an observatory behind his woodinville, washington, home. The telescope control software continuously transmits the dome target position to the dome controller which attempts to drive the dome to the required position by optically reading and counting 1 degree spaced marks on.
At left we show the renovating and automation of the analemma society of great falls, va 5 meter ash dome 45,796 bytes. A custom software was designed to control the dome rotation. Im going to be starting an observatory soon and after looking at prices for prefab domes, im definitely going to have to build my own. Telescope piers, dome observatories, roll off roof observatories. We are uniquely qualified in this highly specialized field with projects that include a diverse mix of services for residential, educational. Dennis di ciccos doghouse observatory progressed from an idea to a working observatory in less than three weeks during the fall of 1982. Design based upon drum switch or push button rotation control replacement. In the case of the pulsar system we are using, this comprises a small, motorcyclestyle 12v lead acid battery, along with a solar panel to keep the battery topped up and ready. How to automate your observatory skyatnightmagazine. Observadome is the only observatory dome manufacturer in the united states able to provide a detailed structural analysis bearing the stamp of a registered professional engineer. The convenience of a permanent observatory cannot be overstated.
Pw 1meter observatory system planewave instruments. Melsheimers extensive experience offers a pristine perspective with practical applications. Since the final image taken with these systems is in a computer we use can use image processing software to get rid of unwanted light and enhance the quality of the image. Our dome has features and design enhancements not found in other manufactured all metal domes. These precautions are all designed to give the observer maximum night. One software solution package for telescopedomeobservatory control. Its main task will be an astronomical survey, the legacy survey of space and time lsst. In addition, the observatory was designed with an attached cabin and control room where the telescope could be operated in relative comfort. This will illustrate the advantages of the dome and point you towards the design that best meets your needs. A substantial 12x8 stepped observatory with warm room. Because the dome must be free to rotate, it cannot be electrically connected to the rest of the observatory, so the aperture motor drive requires its own power supply. As to computer interface, the ace smart dome control unit has a direct serial interface to the dome computer and ascom compliant software that allows all dome features to be controlled by the observatory computer. It has a high resolution encoder which counts the azimuth gear rack slots and synchronizes the telescope mount movement with the dome rotation keeping the telescope pointed in the dome shutter opening.
The fiberglass observatory dome homedome is seated on brick and wood structure. Of all the different styles of astronomical observatory used by amateur astronomers, the domed observatory is the best. Our latest product that we have developed is a high quality all metal observatory dome, the ptd1 and ptd2. Company seven observatory design and sales, installation. To the right we show installing a telescope into a ash mfg. Refracting telescope astronomical observatory geodesic dome space and astronomy tiny house design dog houses stargazing backyard sketch. If you require any advice on any aspects of dome design and. Backyard observatories have always been a part of amateur astronomy, but they seem to have had a surge in popularity during the last decade. As constructed the building is 912 feet in diameter. See more ideas about observatory, backyard, amateur astronomy. Landscape architecture specifier news magazine in free open source landscape design software those landscape architecture schools in florida yet master of landscape. Ascomstandard dome and telescope interfaces support for automadome slave dome rotation to your telescope rotationonly and full shutterandrotation systems available single or dual shutter operation, with sequencing wireless shutter control no.
Designs, wideslit classical domes with fast rotating capability. An unusual lshaped observatory with a warm room and elegant pergola. The design is a simple geodesic dome ala buckminster fuller. Paramount me mount ii equatorial mount for the telescope, inside an observatory dome motorised 3.
Explora dome 8 observatory dome with wheels no building. Observatory domes telescope accessories at astronomics. The control system allows a color touch screen interface. Observatory solutions is a consulting firm located in southwest colorado that develops customized solutions for astronomical observatories that integrate site design, style and equipment configuration. But, as is often the case, life is not that easy, so lets look at some of the design challenges for a hemispherical dome. Ive seen a lot of sites that have photos but not plans.
It takes the laborious task of dragging all the stuff out, putting all the pieces together, getting a usable alignment dialed in, and trying to not drop or lose anything in the grass into a quick and simple process of opening up the roof and waking up the mount. Observatory domes can be prohibitively expensive, and often fall into them when i win the. Your telescope means a lot to you, so we build astrodomes to give your equipment the best possible protection and help expand your view of the sky. At center we show critical design aspects of the pier, utilities of the mccmo 73,264 bytes. Large yokemounted newtonians may require a larger dome or an offcenter telescope mount. The various programs included in antiprism were developed for personal use. Pier tech telescope piers, dome observatories, roll off. Explora dome 8 observatory dome with wheels no building have you dreamed of your own observatory but felt it was completely out of your reach.
Designed 100% with 3d software, our domes meet the highest quality standard for fit and finish between components. You too can quickly build a basic telescope shelter. Nexdome was designed to ship within the limits of standard courier sizes and weights, reducing shipping costs of your purchase and when relocating the dome. The pw combines planewaves revolutionary cdk optical system or traditional rc design with its innovative altaz, directdrive mount technology that sets a new standard for 1meter observatory telescopes. This presentation initially discusses the process for the design concept, and then some of the design and construction challenges for a twostorey, circular, geodesicdomedobservatory. Joes foam geodesic dome a backyard dome observatory. The simplicity, strength and cost of the geodesic dome are outlined, as is the design and construction of a solid tall pier and a freelyrunning turntable. Astrophysical observatory physics and astronomy csi. Bear creek observatory is a privately owned amateur observatory specializing in imaging software for astronomy and open for nonprofit educational outreach programs on a prearranged basis. Rolloff roof astronomical observatories outsideology. Now this software, named lesvedomenet, is released as a shareware.
Also my design keeps the observatory thermally isolated from the rest of the house, and my home automation system is designed such that temperature control is automated to bring the observatory temp to outside temp starting one hour before sunset, and keep pace with the outside temperature until the dome is activated. Thanks to the advanced design and low weight of nexdome, the observatory can be assembled in. Provides complete remote control capability of observatory including slaving to telescope. Pd10 observatory the prodome pdl0 is normally a standalone dome, mounted onto a concrete pad or even a wooden deck. Antiprism is a set of programs for generating, manipulating, transforming and visualising polyhedra.
Planewave instruments is proud to introduce the pw, a fully automated 1meter class telescope observatory system. Another drawback of the dome design is the fact that in any given orientation there is only a small portion of the sky visible. Nexdome is designed to operate up to 14 inch telescope. If you elect to automate remote roof opening and closing, much less complicated software is involved. Maxdome ii observatory dome control system diffraction.
Provides complete remote control capability of observatory including slaving to. The observatory has a dome which blocks some outside light, as well as, has a red light system. The antiprism programs are open source and use the mit license, or similar permissive licences. This allows the sky x planetarium software to directly control the dome by talking to the ace smartdome microprocessor. Customised integrated dome control system with the astronomy software theskyx pro from software bisque and boltwood cloud sensor 2 from diffraction limited.
Does anyone have any detailed construction plans for a diy wooden dome 810 in diameter. This includes a suggested floor plan, elevation plan, control room location, traffic flow patterns, and other factors. The design of the observatory must accommodate the telescope installed but should also allow for installation of a different or larger instrument and accessories that might be needed in the future. Selecting the dome determined the overall shape of the observatory a cylinder support structure with the dome on top. The dome controller communicates with the telescope control software running in the observatory computer via a serial com port.