PPR Obs_20100929

Hi Charles,
I did a lot of the prep work but hired out the heavy stuff (digging). The pour was from a pump truck with a (long) hose. Required a little too much to mix in a wheel barrow, plus the logistics of getting the mix up to the deck was an "issue". The family CFO is still giving me grief!

tgw

nice. Had a similar issue I'm dealing with now, not as extreme. three feet down, 18 inch diameter cement pole for a total 6 feet and it runs six inches below the deck. Pier on top of that. Haven't got the adapter plate yet but as soon as I do can't wait to see how it handles vibration.

Good job on that cement pole. 14', that's a lot of concrete you must have poured. You do it yourself or call in a truck with a hose?

Hi samiam,

The scope is the (relatively) new Orion 8" f/4 Astrograph. Love it!

tgw

Hi Charles,
You just had to ask... :-) The pier has been a real challenge. My deck is 14' above the ground as the ground slopes about 8' from the front of our house to the back. The base for the main column is 4' deep and 5' on each side at the bottom tapering to 4' at ground level. It is set on bedrock with (where possible), heavy re-bar surrounds. On top of the base is an 18" dia. re-bar reinforced column up to the level of the deck. The pier is a 30" high, 12" dia. column with an (excellent!) 8" CGEM/Atlas adapter from Dan's Pier Top Plates. a href="http://www.pierplates.com/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.pierplates.com/index.html>

Needless to say, it is quite solid! Vibration (swift kick in the pier) damps in about 0.5 sec.

Hope that answers your question(s)!!

tgw

Hi Trevor,

It is definitely the new f/4 Astrograph and does a very good job for its price. I'm using the MPCC (Multi-Purpose Coma Corrector) from Alpine Astro and it works well. Not cheap, but less than a Paracorr!
a href="http://www.alpineastro.com/optical_accessories/optical_accessories.htm#MPCC" target="_blank">http://www.alpineastro.com/optical_accessories/optical_accessories.htm#MPCC>
Thanks!

tgw

Whoa...wait a second there my friend...nice setup by the way...you said on the Pleiedes pic you used the Orion f4 astrograph...that tube looks remarkably like the old Orion SVD 8". Can't see the focuser, but is it the new astrograph, or the old SVD? Also, at F4 what are you doing to correct coma? The primary reason I ask is that I have a SVD sitting and roting in my garage. I am considering getting a new focuser and a coma corrector and bringing it out of retirement.

Thanks,
t

that's an unreal setup. How long is that cement post and how deep did you dig it?