When I'm not building Iron Man, I build my space observatory.

[BuildsByBaz]

Hi guys,

Just something that might interest some.

I've been building Iron Man for a few months now (Build thread in sig below), but truth be known, this is a secondary project to my main passion, astrophotography.

I built an observatory in my front yard a few years ago, but at 3 metres in diameter, it just lacked the room to swing a cat. So, for the last couple of years, I've demolished it and have been hard at it building one at five metres in diameter instead.

I have a website dedicated to it, so please, go enjoy the photos and stories of the build!

Sandbagger.

Below: Here's where I'm at currently.

1. Four sheets to go!!

2. Doors closed. Weather skirt still to be fabricated and assembled between top of wall and bottom of dome.

3. Nearly fully enclosed.

4. Doors open showing floor space.

 

[theTavernKnight]

This is awesome, man. Great job. And great pics.

 

[Annanymous]

wow. Thats incredible !

 

[Sai 257]

This makes me wish I had a house not an apartment. I would LOVE to have one of these.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Cheers gang!

DOME FULLY COVERED WOOT!!!!!!!

 

[BuildsByBaz]

1. Telescope installed - fire extinguisher fitted as priority!

2. Preliminary calibrating on the moon.

3. "FIRST LIGHT" through the ASIGN Observatory II telescope! A very quick shot with only the DSLR on the scope, but enough to check the optics.

4. Crop and different processing of the above.

 

[rundown]

thats awesome
Big investement but seems to be worth it!

 

[Annanymous]

seriously this is so cool. Please post more photos as you take them!

 

[drack]

Sandman this is just beautifull!!! As a photographer myself I always dreamed of doing astrophotography so seeing this being done by one of our own is great. Like Anna said keep the pics coming

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Awww, thanks croo.

I just need some time to myself to finish it and get started on the astrophotography proper.

Here's a sample of what has come out of this scope a couple of years ago when I had it in the old observatory.

Horsehead and Flame nebula 2hrs 40min exposure

M20Trifid Nebula 4 hours 30 min

Southern Pinwheel galaxy M83

NGC253 Silver Coin Galaxy in Sculptor_2hr30min

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Enjoy the video of this fully armed and operational battle-station!

 

[AI Blue Fox]

i have the carl saganist boner right now

 

[BuildsByBaz]

All the cameras and cables installed now. Mount aligned to the planet's axis and ready for imaging. Now to wait for that pesky moon to go away and have a clear night!!

1. The mighty photon hunter!

2. Looking out to the heavens.

3. Peering into deep space.

4. Watchful warrior.

 

[AI Blue Fox]

emergency fire extinguisher in case of solar flar somehow lighting us on fire? XD

 

[BuildsByBaz]

YAY!! Finally imaging again! Clear night, no moon, no clouds and DARK DARK DARK SKY!!! Going for Messier 42 - The great Orion Nebula tonight!

I've been out of the deep space imaging game for a couple of years now, so this will be interesting trying to re-learn everything and apply the last two years of regular photography processing skills.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Here's one more from last night. Now to stack and process the actual DSO frames!

 

[BuildsByBaz]

ASIGN Observatory II from around 11 metres off the ground.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

The flashing arrived today!! Fabricated perfectly to my measurements and diagrams.

Installing the weather-proof skirt around the dome.

 

[Tigersgrace]

This is phenominal!!! does the dome rotate or is it a stationary observatory?

 

[BuildsByBaz]

This is phenominal!!! does the dome rotate or is it a stationary observatory?

It rotates mate. Not much point to a stationary dome.