Attic Bluffs

Observatory

Williamsburg, VA

 

  
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Observatory

 

My observatory was built into my walk-in attic space by constructing a shed-style dormer with an 8'x8 ' retractable window that allows my scope access to the open air. It took a year of planning, 8 months of building, and 3-4 months of tweaking before it was finished but its now complete!

The concrete pier starts in my garage (excavated) and rises through the second floor. It is completely independent of the floor to prevent vibrations while walking around. A "box" was constructed around the pier on the second floor for aesthetics as well as for abilities to place items on it such as star charts, eyepieces, etc. The "box" is completely independent from the pier and also houses electrical outlets and other accessible wires for cameras, focusers, remote computer control, etc.

The observatory houses a Mountain Instruments Mi-250 mount on a permanent Pier Tech 3 pier. The PierTech allows the scope to elevate an additonal 20 inches when necessary to view objects over the roofline. The main instruments are Celestron 11 and 14 Edge HD Optical tubes. I also use a William Optics 80mm Apo refractor to guide exposures and a Lunt solar scope for solar viewing and imaging.

I mostly use the observatory for live video observing with my Mallincam, but sometimes view objects at the eyepiece - especially when observing with my kids. I also photograph the night sky with my CCD camera via long exposures. Pictures of the observatory construction process are below.

Pictures of the observatory in use at night are at the bottom (Eclipse December 2010).

 
 

Inside Finished Pictures

  

Mount, Scope, WIndows Open

With Desk & Installed Blinds

Pier, Scope, & Windows Closed
 

The Construction Process

  

Before the Observatory

With the Roof Cut Out

Building the Front Wall

original house

The Windows

Framing Up The Dormer

Installing the Windows

More Windows

Windows Shut From the Inside

Windows Open from the Inside

All Framed Up

The ConcreteBlock Pier

(Filled with Rebar & Concrete)

Another Shot of the Pier

Framing of the

Independent Box

Pier with J-bolts and

Independent Box

Wire Access Panel Open

Wire Access Panel Closed

Bolts Independent of Top

PierTech 3 Pier

Scope Mounted & Window Open

Scope Polar Aligned

Scope with Open Window

Parked Scope from Warm Room

(Double Doors Allow Viweing Scope Position from Warm Room)

Parked Scope

with Closed Windows

Parked Scope, Windows Closed

Scope Ready for Observing

Inside shot of Control Desk

(Can remote desktop in from Warm Room)

Inside with Blinds installed

Inside with Blinds Installed

Inside with Blinds Installed

Finished Observatory

from Outside
 

Observatory in Action Dec 2010

Lunar Eclipse

  

3 Scopes, Multi-monitors & Cameras

Multi-Views from Different Cameras/Scopes

Finished Observatory

from Outside

Scope & Half-Eclipsed Moon

Scope and Half-Eclipsed Moon

Moon on Monitor (live video Mallincam Feed)

Iphone Capture of Monitor Image

IphoneCapture of Monitor Image

Iphone Capture of Monitor Image