Observatory Concrete Pier Project - It's Done! (and voice controlled lighting!) 

I decided it was time to retrofit a concrete pier into the observatory, as I was still seeing guidance disturbance when the dome was rotating and also when I was moving around in the dome. Also I kept tripping over the tripod and knocking the alignment out.
Having rescued a 2.67m length of 200mm uPVC pipe from some scrub land, dug a hole, set it in concrete, filled it with concrete, and then once set, installed the Baader short pier and mounted the CGX-L and Rasa11 onto it.
I also setup the voice controlled LED lights in the observatory.
Really pleased how things worked out and well worth the effort as everything is so much more stable. It also feels like there is so much more room in the dome.
Chapters:
Day 1
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00:00 Introduction
The Plan
00:37 inside the dome
04:57 under the decking
Getting Busy
08:30 clearing access for digging
09:00 The dig - first layer
10:25 The dig - second layer
11:17 The dig - third layer
12:03 opening up the hole bottom width / checking position
12:56 Cutting deck penetration
14:00 opening/rotating dome and pipe pass through
14:50 temporary securing pipe
Day 2
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15:35 base concrete pour
16:31 levelling top of pipe
17:09 Pier head securing hardware
Day 3
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18:55 Pipe concrete pour
20:51 Setting pier head
Day 4
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22:38 Progress and way forward
24:38 Remove pier head support / Rig teardown
25:13 Remove temporary pipe supports
25:30 Re-install floor cover
26:00 Remove pier head - install cap disc - refit pier head
27:55 Fit CGX-L mount
29:19 Counterweights on
29:56 Mount Rasa11 and Guide Cam / rough balance
Summary and closeout
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30:32 Summary and Voice Control lighting
32:09 Walk round the rig closer look
36:58 Closeout and future project ideas
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I upload my images to Telescopius, and you can find my profile at:
telescopius.com/profile/dave-...
My other social locations are;
www.daves-astrophotography.com/
/ daves.astrophotography
/ daveauld
/ dave_auld
The main equipment I use is;
Celestron CGX mount
Celestron CGX-L mount
Celestron Edge 11
Celestron RASA 11
Lunt LS80MTB1800C Solar Scope
Bresser 8" Newtonian
Bresser AR90s/500
ZWO ASI2600MC-P Colour cameras
ZWO 60/280 guidescope
ZWO ASI120mm guide camera
ZWO ASI174mini guide camera
ZWO ASI174mm planetary camera
Unihedron Sky Quality Meter (SQM)
NexDome Observatory
#Astrophotography #DavesAstrophotography #Cyprus

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