Stargate Astro Shack
Visiters to this page since August,'06
The Stargate Astro Shack was conceived and construction started in Feburary '03. The original 12'x14' building was a lumber storage shed. The initial modifications were completed in April '03, thou "tweaking" continues even now. The building now has 3 rooms, each at different levels, with the goal being total remote control for imaging.
The control room (6'x12') is outfitted with work tables, shelves, white lights, red lights, red foot lights and task lights, baseboard electric heat, ac unit, telephone and internet hookup, cable tv, intercom, stereo, 220vac,110vac and 12vdc, tv/monitor, desktop computers and the laptop networked with the desktop in the house.
The equipment room (4'x8') has the same lighting system and houses the telescope accessories and is 15"s (2 steps) above the control room.
The telescope room (8'x8') is 30"s (4 steps) above the level of the control room, has the same lighting system, 110vac, 12vdc, computer monitor, keyboard, mouse, webcam, USB terminal boxs. The desk top computer can be operated from the control room or the telescope room at the same time. There is a remote controlled video camera to monitor the mount on the tv in the control room when the slew/camera location is questionable.
All rooms are insulated, sheetrocked, painted flat black and carpeted. The pier is 15" diameter, 840 lbs of concrete and rebar, anchored to the 7 1/2" thick concrete floor below and on top of the concrete is a 16" tall adjustable steel pier with a 12" extension that the Losmandy G11 mount head sits on. The roll off roof (8'x8'), weights 180 lbs. and is held shut by turnbuckles when storms approach. It is constructed of solid wood and plywood and covered in white polycarbon roofing material and a 1/2" thick layer of reflective insulation inside. The roof rolls on four, 7" lawnmower wheels with ball bearing centers in a pair of fabricated steel tracks. There is a thermostat controlled exhaust fan to move air thru the telescope room when the roof is closed.The whole Astro Shack system can be controlled with TheSky6 and CCDSoft ver5.
The Astro Shack main scopes are currently a William Optics (WO) 110mm Megrez refractor or an 8" Astro Tech (AT8RC) and a pair of WO 66mm refractors serving primarily as the guide scopes. These set on the pier holding the Losmandy G11 head. The whole rig is guided thru either of the 2 scopes. The main cameras used are the SBIG ST-8XME and the SBIG Remote Guide Head (RGH). Primarily the RGH has the guide duties, but works just as well as an imager. The same imager/guider rig is removed from the pier with the G11 head and used on the tripod when in the field All scopes have the Orion electric focusers (Accufocuser). The "mobile" Astro Shack has evolved over time to make field imaging easier and is now setup to enable all focusing and imaging operations to be controlled from inside the trailer.
Astro Shack Entrance
Here's the entrance to the "shack", also shown is the resident "amatuer" and my "most understanding" wife, Phyllis, who for about 46 years now, has allowed me to wind down an untold number of adventure trails.
New Roof
This roof was installed in '06...the first was built from materials that didn't stand up to the weather too well and lasted only about 3 years...
Mobile Stargate unit
This is the early version of the mobile "Astro Shack"...the trailer is a modified Leonard 12' utility trailer, complete with, sleeping quarters, toilet facilities, storage cabinets, water, heat, 12vdc and 110vac system...the 10" LX200 GPS has since been relegated to the fixed "Astro Shack" and replaced with a much simpler Orion XT10i w/object locater for visual and a LXD75/SN6 for astrophotography....And further improvements over time...continued...July '09...The LX200, XT10i, and both LXD75s are now gone and have been replaced with a Losmandy G11 w/Gemini. OTA's now include a William Optics 110mm (ED) refractor and just acquired (Oct.,2009) Astro Tech 8" reflector (AT8RC).A new imaging platform
The Foundation
This is 800+ pounds of concrete that originally supported the 10"LX200GPS stub mast. Only about half is visible here. The other 1/2+ is below the wooden floor which is 30" above the ground level.
This is all that remains of the 10" LX200GPS platform. This is the original base left over from the 10" LX200 GPS with the home brewed adapter plate installed for the G11 extension
This is the 12" extension sold by Losmandy for their tripod. I used it here to be able to install the G11 head on my existing pier
Camera Closeup
A closer view of the ST-8XME being overshadowed by the rather large CFW-10. The Remote Guide Head is just visible to the left. Update Janurary 22, 2010... the new QSI 583ws camera arrives today and will most likely replace this imaging rig...stay tuned! Newest rig Feb, 2010
This is the G11/Gemini, AT8RC, QSI583 ws, WO66mm/DSI Pro guider and the ST-8XME set up for simultaneous wide field imaging.
Closup of the slide on bracket
The slide on clamp/bracket serves two purposes...it hold the flat bat that holds the ST8-XME for wide field imaging and also a small 3 point attachment to steady the
DSI/focuser to elimanate any flexure in the guider. I run 2 separate instances of CCDSoft, one for each camera.
