Site Preparation Underway
Area Cleared
Observatory Site Viewed from Street
Simulated View
Plat of Site with Google Earth Overlay
PHD (Post Hole Digger) Help - My older son, a graduate physics student at the University of Texas, helps dad with the pier hole. This is the start of the work day for 12/23/2006.
Texas SkyShed's Chris Norman checks layout for square.
Concrete Form for the pier is roughed in the hole. Hole is 1' x 3'.
Materials were delivered around 11:00a.m. The pier blocks and floor beams have been move to the shed's area. Now the fun begins.
After concrete form for the pier is trimmed to 1 1/2 inches above ground, Chris starts floor joist's spacing from pier's position.
Laying out 1 pier blocks ( Lot's of pier blocks =8-0 )
Positioning and leveling the blocks takes a lot of time! It is about 1:30p.m. by now.
Five rows of blocks and floor beams are set on the far right. We set the floor planks up on the beams to cover the work area. Rain is predicted late tonight :o(
Done for the day. A skid of 2 x 4's and 4 x 4's for roof roll-off rails are covered. The work day for 12/23/2006 is done.
New Year's Eve day is a Sunday and work starts after lunch. About 3 more hours will be spent leveling pier blocks and making final alignment checks and adjustments.
Side floor planks are cut and tacked down and a final check to be certain the floor deck is square is done.
Planking is cut to length and initially put down around the pier. The deck will be built out from the pier.
Floor deck loosely positioned around pier.
The deck around the pier has been cut and placed. The remaining floor planks are cut to length.
Chris starts New Year's Day drilling holes for wiring runs.
Roofing Felt is placed under the warm room floor planking only.
Chris and Dean (right) screw down the removable slats to allow future access to wiring runs from the pier to the warm room.
The last floor plank is nailed down. What is this halo around Chris? I figure anyone working on my new SkyShed is simply angelic ;o)
The completed 10' x 14' floor!
I took a break and came out to find the side walls up already! Notice the lower notches on the left wall top where the roof roll-off rails will be run.
The rear wall is up and secured.
The Watauga Skies Observatory includes a 5' x 10' control room with plate glass window overlooking the scope room. Chris and Dean work on the control room's interior wall.
Dean checks the control room wall placement.
The control room window is checked for proper fit in the wall frame.
Chris stands in the control room to scope room door frame and supports the control room wall as Dean nails cross supports in place.
January 6 - Start of day by adding Tyvek weather wrap to the control room.
Chris works on Front Wall framing.
With front wall framing up, control room sealing wrap continues.
The control room is wrapped, 1' x 2' trim for the plate glass observation window is cut and checked.
Outside view from rear.
The left front window is in place. This day is done. Cedar siding and roof to go up tomorrow.
The first plank of cedar siding going on.
Yes, you can pour the pier after the deck is up. At least the hole was dug and form placed before the deck was built!
7 bags of Sakrete later.... The J-bolts anchors are set. Now all we need is a pier to go here..... That should be ready before the next weekend.
Dean nails in the last front-side cedar plank.
Now this is starting to look very good. My wife informs me at lunch how nice it looks.... and she is thinking of moving in! Yikes!! (But at least she likes it!)
A decision is made to add a 3rd window for cross-flow ventilation in the control room. A window heater/cooler may be added at a later date.
Chris completes the north side window installation.
The last of the exterior cedar siding goes up....
Installation of cedar siding in the scope room over the control room wall.
Chris cleans up the doorway.
The cedar siding is completely installed. The roof gables are built and ready for the next work day. This day's work is completed. All that is needed now is a roll off roof!
Rain followed by Ice Storm - No Construction This Weekend!
Ice In the Telescope Area - Yikes!! The Control Room Area was mostly protected from rain and ice by temporary plastic sheeting roof.
The Pier is Here!! Note the quad ac outlet. The round base plate diameter is 13 1/2". The upper plates are 12 1/2" diameter.
The pier is constructed with 6 inch tubular steel. The round plates are laser cut 1/2" steel. The finish is black powder coat. One more item is done!
A little trim makes quite a difference. Chris and Dean work on window, door and corner trim work.
Cutting the roll off roof support rails to length.
The first rail goes up!
Adjusting the second support rail.
Roof gables are up.
Roof beam is installed.
The pier is installed and floor cutouts are notched to fit fins on the pier.
Roof trusses are installed and Tom has stained the front side. The cedar siding is looking very good!
A last look at the day's progress.
The day starts by adding cross braces to the roof structure.
Now for the roof felt...
The first roof panel goes up!
The front side roof panels are all in place.
The rear side panels are up, as is the roof cap. Time to fasten all the panels.
Nothing like having a roof over your head! A view from inside.
The door gets mounted.
Braces for the roll-off roof beams are added before the roof can be moved.
More bracing work...
Finally - THE ROOF ROLLS OFF!!!! The first time is quite a sight!
Another view of the first time the roof is rolled off... This is the end to a very good day!
It has been a long day. It is now about 9:00p.m., and Chris and Dean work on installing the front door latch hardware. The day has been spent on the many small items that take a lot of time, including doors, fabrication and installation of optional wood interior locking shutters (can you say "Texas Hail Storm?"), flower boxes, installing and weather-proofing the ceiling to the control room (good job guys!) and more.
A Quick First Light - Tom managed to quickly throw the LX90 and AT80ED setup on the pier for a very quick first light viewing of M42 and Saturn :o) Chris and Dean share in the honors. It is a cold night, but a break in the warm control room was a treat! Main construction is complete. Cedar siding remains to be installed in the control room and electrical work this next Saturday. Watauga Skies Observatory should be fully operational in one to two weeks. And the Chaos, Panic, Disorder on Chris' shirt?? Don't believe it for a second - It just doesn't get any better than having these great guys from Texas SkyShed's doing the work. JOB WELL DONE!!
60 Ampere Panel for observatory electrical requirements.
Electricians at work......
Observatory worklight/flats light switch on the left. Switch for track-lights in the control room on the right. Both are near the front entry door.
The pier is powered! (repeat that one quickly 10 times...)
Control Room - Looking west to window shutter. Tom worked the previous night past midnight putting up insulation in the walls. Tom will likely install the plywood floor decking in the next couple of days. The decking is used to prevent air from seeping up into the Control Room between the floor slats.
Control Room - Track lights are installed, power for the computer stuff below the window and a dimmer for the lights on the left (just to the right of the door). We will finish out the few remaining cedar trim pieces next weekend. Tom is about 3 short on the pieces of cedar and will pick up more at my favorite Home Depot. Added note: After 3 months of use, the track lights with dimmer control are *perfect* for this job!!
Control Room - Looking east to entry door and the second exterior window.
An arty shot out the Control Room window with the work light siluoetting the LX90 on the pier :o)
The flourescent work light shown more realistically than the previous "arty" shot. Lot's of light is available when needed for working on the scope and other work in the observatory.
The same light swivelled up to illuminate a yet to be mounted white target board for shooting flats. The light fixture swivels 340° or so and has 2 sides - one which has a very effective diffuser element.
Moonlight from a very full moon reflects off the metal roof in this 13 second expsure. The observatory is powered down and closed up for the night. (Canon EOS, 13s, (ISO 400).
Tom cut and installed 1/4" plywood underlayment over the plank floor in the Control Room to seal the breeze that seeps through the cracks between the floor boards. The scope area is to the left.
The other end of the Control Room with underlayment installed.
The Control Room with carpet installed. The carpet is marine grade indoor/outdoor from Lowe's.
Installation work for the day is done.
Time to add a comfortable chair and a work desk. The house is visible when the shutter above the desk is open. The scope is visible through the large glass window to the left. This view shows the marine grade indoor/outdoor carpet.
A wider view of the control area.
Control area with track lighting only for the photo. Tom's favorite image is on the laptop (M45, Canon EOS, Nov. 23, 2006 - details: http://autostarsuite.net/photos/tking2097/picture9077.aspx). The roof rolls off to the right. With the roof open, Tom has a comfortable view of the scope and the heaven's above through the window :o)
Fixing a Safety Hazard - Tom cut and installed 2 x 4's between two 2 x 6' floor joists to support small floor planks required to add flooring around the pier.
Floor planks are fitted and installed around the pier. Screws are used to fasten the planks to the underlying 2 x 4 supports in order to provide access to the pier base if needed.
There are no neighborhood associations, but one must meet local code requirements in Watauga. The electrical work is completed and the observatory has passed the required electrical and building inspections.
"Final for shed" Green tag is good, as in passed. The building inspector was very complimentary and seemed very impressed with the quality of the shed.
A view with the "roof closed" from the side of the house. The main door is open and leads into the 9' x 10' scope area. The 60 ampere AC feed is visible on the right-front side of the SkyShed.
Another "roof closed" view of the SkyShed.
A "roof rolled off" view from the side yard of the house.
A "roof off" view from the middle of the back yard. The 5' x 10' control room is on the left side of the shed from this view.
The 60 ampere AC panel located in the scope area. The panel feeds fader controlled track lights and 2 AC outlets in the control room, and a flourescent fixture and quad AC outlet on the telescope pier.
A view of the LX90 in polar home position. The control room window is to the left of the scope.
Another view of the LX90 on the pier. Three usb cables run to the control room to allow cameras on the LX90 SCT, AT80ED APO refractor and on a Canon 300D EOS or even on the viewfinder. Balancing weights are also visible.
A view of the wiring before it is routed and dressed. Who says imaging and guiding is complicated?!?
Roof closed and secured. The corner also serves as a handy place for a hanger holding the diffraction spike focusing mask for the LX90. A few more minor details will be completed this weekend.
Close-up of jig for the pier mount base anchors, shown with hardware attached and ready to place in concrete. Not shown - bottom side has matching washers and bolts to secure L anchors to the plywood jig until the concrete sets.
The Jig is placed on top of the form and leveled after the concrete has been poured into the one foot diameter form. This view is looking down through removable plank area of the deck.
July 2010 - Update. Watauga Skies Observatory after 3 years of use. WSO has seen heavy use since completion, yet looks and operates as though it was just finished! The 5' x 10' climate controlled control room at the left side of the observatory has encouraged heavy use in both cold and hot weather extremes.
After 3 years, landscaping has matured around WSO. The WSO All-Sky camera is visible on the mast to the right of the right window. A sampling of images taken at the observatory is available at www.wataugaskies.net on-line.
