Papago Butte Observatory (Michael Feigenbaum)

Papago Butte Observatory

Just finished installing a Skyshed Pod. I poured a steel reinforced concrete pier 5-feet deep, isolated it and then poured a concrete pad around it.

I trenched in power and I have a portable A/C unit to use in there to keep the temperatures from approaching the temperature of the surface of the sun (lol), and so I can actually work in there during the daylight hours when preparing for a night of imaging.

The pod was easy to install, did it myself with no assistance in the Arizona heat.

I had the steel pier for the mount fabbed to my specifications. The steel pier and the foundation for it are designed much like the telecommunications towers I design in my business.

Tried it out last night and it is simply as solid as a rock.

This is going to permit me to do a lot more considering I won't have to set up from scratch each session as well as not having to completely tear down in the wee hours...

Original
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Final
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B

Description: I recently purchased a second hand HDX110 mount. I had to get a new pier plate from Dan and got this installed. Really heavy duty piece of gear and I like the Orion (Skywatcher) handset.

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D

Description: When I installed the HDX110, I had to get a new Dan's Pier plate. Dan makes really good stuff... I also took a great deal of time and care in doing the install to be sure the top of the plate was level and that my polar alignment was as good as I could get it. Drift aligning like crazy and then with the Sharpcap routine, etc... But certainly worth it as this PHD graph shows. So I guess the take away is with a reasonably good mount and a lot of care, it is possible to get some really outstanding guiding.

Uploaded: ...

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