100206 -CONSTRUCTION BEGINS!

The old observatory has been completely dismantled.  A 700mm hole has been made into the old slab, ready for the new pier.  A new slab will be poured over the old one for the Sirius observatory.

100213-14

An area 1m wide has been levelled around the old slab and a small retaining wall is being erected.  Trenches have been dug to take power and data to the BSM observatory (see orange conduit to the left)

100220

Below:

The pier has been poured.  The formatube is 450mm ID and the top of the concrete will be 650mm off the new slab (to be poured in about a week). The 16mm all-thread bolts are 1000mm long.  You can see the BSM pier directly behind the main pier (concrete in boxes is for another project!).  Friend and builder Stuart Jones set up the tube and helped with the pour - many thanks.

100223

Excess concrete has been chipped away from the base of the piers and the formatube removed.  The BSM pier can be seen in the background.

100225:

The observatory arrived today from Sirius observatories,  and is sitting in the carport.

100301

The conduit for power and communications are laid and secured ready for the slab pour Wednesday.  A 30mm conduit (running south to outside) has been laid for water cooling to the camera.  Thanks to Rod and Chris for their assistance.

100301

The scope has arrived!!

100302

The form work for the slab was set up today.  Waffle pods have been used in order to get a 250mm slab.  The slab will be poured tomorrow.

100303

The slab was poured today, the truck arriving at 6am!  Friend Kirk Copelin was the concreter.

100303

The Astro-Physics GTO1200 mount arrived today.

100310

The Sirius 3.5m observatory erected.  Still have to fit motors and lower slit cover.  A very good observatory with excellent support from Sirius.  The “chimney” is the day/night solar vent.

100317

Landscaping done and observatory fixed to slab.  Boltwood sensor erected.

100410

The pier was finally constructed and now the telescope has been set up in the observatory.  No electrics set up as yet.  The mount is beautifully smooth.  Thanks to Rod Stubbings for his help (no way was i going to lift the scope into position by myself!!)  This mount looks as though it will easily image 30 degrees past the meridian.

100420

Some cabling has been done, and also the Boltwood has been connected.  The scope had to be sent back to Sydney for some adjustments.

100502

A floor has been added

100703

Camera added.  Their is a minor problem with the cluster gear on the RA.  AP are sending out a new one.

100828

Carpet laid and blackwood surround added to lower pier.  This was made by Ron Lapham, a local retired cabinet maker.

101020

Aluminium bar added to the back of the scope (held by a screw that fixes the EFA assembly.  Cables are attached to this so they stand proud of the mount.

The observatory and the near complete BSM observatory.

Feb 2011

Concrete path put between the main dome and BSM South....

Nov 2010

Trickle charger added to top the dome rotation and slit opening batteries fully charged.  A period of poor weather made this a necessity.

April 2011

DeLongi dehumidifier added.  This is the manual model and is set to operate by a timer, coming on at 5am and turning off at 10am.  This is set up for continuous drain with plastic tubing running out of the observatory.