DIY OBSERVATORY BUILD

Internal Equipment

After completing the outside, it was time to focus on getting everything inside setup and ready to start imaging.

I didn’t actually take any photos of the progress as I went, but in photos here you will see the end result of control centre on the wall. The is where the power and ethernet come in from the house, distributing out the ethernet and power with smart sockets to the pier, plus a Raspberry Pi running Astroberry to control my USB Flat Panel.

Control centre wall in it's full glory
Close up of the power sockets, PoE Ethernet hub and Raspberry Pi mounted nicely
Roof open sensor
Power socket block with ethernet and wifi hubs. Security camera fitted in top left too
Telescope installed and cables neatly organised
Sky facing web cam to watch the weather when roof open
Emergency roof clamps, to use to secure the roof close in adverse weather.
Interlocking foam flooring fitted
Telescope in place and ready for action

I know it’s not perfect and certainly could be better, but it does the job I need, and enables me to do all this without even leaving the house:

  • Open the Roof (via smart app on iPhone)
  • Power on the mount and telescope (via Apple HomeKit)
  • Monitor the telescope from my Ring Cameras
  • Check the sky above the observatory (using old webcam or my AllSky)
  • Do all my imaging through the ZWO ASIAir App (on my iPad)
  • Close the roof again at the end of my imaging session.
  • Power it all off again via HomeKit

I know i’ll appreciate this on those frozen winter nights.

Here you can see how I can monitor everything via the Ring App using an old ring doorbell and camera, one pointing at the scope, the other looking up from the pier to keep an eye out for snags.

Security camera keeping a watchful eye over my telescope
Old ring door bell face up from the pier to watch out for cable snags

Next: Final Thoughts
THE PROCESS