[M]: (M)Observatory height
| Subject: | [M]: (M)Observatory height |
| From: | Eric Schandall |
| Date: | Mon Nov 29 18:08:13 1999 |
Hi Bill,
Here are some thoughts about pier height that I wrote up a few years ago
to go with some plans for an observatory. Its still available at
http://victoria.tc.ca/~rasc/art9703.html
"Some "observations" about the planning. There is the question of the
height of the roof. Is it important for you to be able to stand upright
when the roof is closed? There are some designs which keep the top
plates low in order to have the scope be able to "look over the top of
them" without having the eyepiece uncomfortably high in this position.
This then may put the roof low, as it sits on the top plates and will
preclude using the observatory for messing about in with the roof in
place.
With the Schmidt-Cassegrain configuration the height of the pier was
determined by the height of the the bottom of the optical tube assembly
at the lowest pointing angle I would be using. This was in relation to
the height of the top plate which was chosen to alow head room with the
roof closed. By working down by adding the dimension of the mount and
wedge, a pier height was arrived at. Its a bit over four feet high.
I need a 10" footstool to observe when the scope is horizontal (which
is seldom) but when its pointed at the zenith the eyepiece is high
enough to use comfortably while seated on an adjustable chair.
Im able to move around and spend time in the observatory with the roof
closed. I spend more time there than I would have thought and am glad to
have alloewed for this."
Hope this is some help.
Regards,
Eric Schandall
Here are some thoughts about pier height that I wrote up a few years ago
to go with some plans for an observatory. Its still available at
http://victoria.tc.ca/~rasc/art9703.html
"Some "observations" about the planning. There is the question of the
height of the roof. Is it important for you to be able to stand upright
when the roof is closed? There are some designs which keep the top
plates low in order to have the scope be able to "look over the top of
them" without having the eyepiece uncomfortably high in this position.
This then may put the roof low, as it sits on the top plates and will
preclude using the observatory for messing about in with the roof in
place.
With the Schmidt-Cassegrain configuration the height of the pier was
determined by the height of the the bottom of the optical tube assembly
at the lowest pointing angle I would be using. This was in relation to
the height of the top plate which was chosen to alow head room with the
roof closed. By working down by adding the dimension of the mount and
wedge, a pier height was arrived at. Its a bit over four feet high.
I need a 10" footstool to observe when the scope is horizontal (which
is seldom) but when its pointed at the zenith the eyepiece is high
enough to use comfortably while seated on an adjustable chair.
Im able to move around and spend time in the observatory with the roof
closed. I spend more time there than I would have thought and am glad to
have alloewed for this."
Hope this is some help.
Regards,
Eric Schandall
