Bucksnort Observatory near Adamsville, Texas!Scott, Don, and Jeff from Backyard Observatories made the trek from Ohio to battle the Texas heat and break ground on my new observatory. They began last Saturday and completed early Tuesday morning. They did an incredible job -- I'm VERY pleased! This is Backyard Observatories 132nd build, and it was obvious since they never looked at any plans or notes -- they just measured, cut, and nailed. Heck, they didn't even have to talk to each other!
I've named it Bucksnort Observatory because it is built on a deer trail, and when I am imaging, the deer snort at me all night. After a couple of years hauling my gear back and forth to the ranch, I decided to bite the bullet and build something permanent. Since I do imaging, I really wanted to be able to also remote control the observatory from my home in Dallas when I can't leave town. I also decided to build slightly larger and add a second pier for a visual scope and/or a second imager. Didn't really cost much more and adds flexibility. I also went with Don's powered Omega Piers and the MI Oasys automation package.
The next few months will have me programming for remote operations, installing my Paramount ME, and adding my buddy's new Planewave 12.5 and Apogee U16, along with my FSQ and STL-11000M. I hope to be ready to roll by the Fall.
Pictures of the build are found here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neutronman/sets/72157624227717565/
5 comments:
Congrats on the new space eye. If you find an asteroid about to hit the earth, you will tell me won't you?
Absolutely! I pretend to enjoy science, nature, and art... but really I am just paranoid of an Extinction Level Event and losing my Gamera collection :(
Awesome, JOhn...congrats...love the name!
You might be interested in looking at the Lone Star Observatory that I helped establish in the late'80s which is 2 hours north of Dallas up in Oklahoma. WWW.lonestarobservatory.org.
Dick Blide (husband of Patti)
Hi Dick.. Yes! I absolutely know all about the LSO! I am a member of Texas Astronomical Society and have been up to the dark site at Atoka many times. I also have a couple of friends who are currently partners of the LSO.
What a very SMALL world : )
Looking forward to seeing you and Patti.
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