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| Outside View of Dome | The C14 fork mount on the 1m pier | 10" Meade LX-200 on the 1m pier |
Located on the main observatory building, is the 3.2m (10 ft) motorised dome. This once housed our vintage Celestron Pacific C-14 with the original fork mount (shown top middle) for 22 years, before it was moved into the Middle Observatory, on a Astro-Physics GTO-1200 internet remote controlled mount. The main pier has now been modified with a special pier adaptor plate that supports Meade Instruments type wedge, Paramount (MX/ME), Astro-Physics telescope mount and others. Currently, we have a 10" (25cm) Meade LX-200 installed on a Meade Super Wedge mounted (shown top right), until such time when a remote internet project requires the use of it.
The 1 metre diameter pier is sunk into the ground 5 metres, with no part of the building touching it. Stairs lead up and down to the platform, with an entry and exit, from the control room. In February 2008, the shutters were also motorised, to allow for the possible future upgrading for another fully remote internet controlled observatory, like the 2 other buildings at Grove Creek. The shutters are completely wireless and uses solar cells mounted on the top of the shutters, facing the sun during the day, to charge the internal 24V battery system.
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At right, the automatic wireless shutter motor control system (shown with cover removed).
THE MAIN CONTROL ROOM:
The main observatory control room is the "nerve centre" of the telescope operations at the Observatory. It is separated from the main dome by a partition, with 2 door access and stairs to the telescope. Staff use this warm and comfortable area to control the telescope remotely while taking CCD images, via our LAN and wireless network or directly to the computer that controls the dome. The control room has heating, red lights for dark adaptation, lounge area and work desks. At the south of our control room, are doors that lead to our laundry / workshop and to our Accommodation Area. The control room also houses our main server that runs the security system and weather station, that protect the remote sliding roof observatories.
