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Fred,<BR>
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Thanks for all the responses. <BR>
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John said that he put it together in a couple of hours. <BR>
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The movable base system, I am sure took a bit of time. I would anchor the observing pod down and would just rotate the dome. It would only take a few minutes to wait on the object to clear. I suppose if you are imaging it would not be this easy.<BR>
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He got it for about half the price of a new one. I really want something this portable that could be moved to another part of the yard if neccessary. <BR>
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It is really a neat little observatory. It has shelves, and 'bunches" of places to keep things.<BR>
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He anchors it with a couple of large boltls when his observing session is over. He said that it is wonderful to finish at 2:00 AM and just close everything up and go into the house and hit the bed.<BR>
<BR>
Roger<BR>
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<BR> <BR><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> <BR> <BR><FONT face=Verdana><EM><STRONG> I</STRONG> can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God. Abraham Lincoln</EM></FONT><BR><BR><BR><BR> <BR>
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From: rayworth1969@hotmail.com<BR>To: lvas@lvlug.org<BR>Date: Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:26:18 -0500<BR>Subject: Re: [Lvas] Observing Pod<BR><BR>
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Roger and all,<BR> <BR>Wow! That's a pretty cool setup! I'd considered an observatory dome several times, even for my Dob. However, never lived in a dark enough place to make it worthwhile. That setup had to take a lot of work and time. <BR> <BR>Fred<BR><BR> <BR>
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From: drivester@hotmail.com<BR>To: lvas@lvlug.org<BR>Date: Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:34:46 +0000<BR>Subject: [Lvas] Observing Pod<BR><BR>
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<BR>LVAS all,<BR> <BR>Just wanted to share a unique backyard observatory from a lifelong friend and fellow observer, John Elmore. He has a variety of instruments, a 10-inch LX200, 10-inch Meade Schmidt-Newtonian and too many smaller telescopes to list.<BR> <BR>John and I grew up slightly over a mile apart, "as the crow flies". Over a couple of fields and through a patch of woods.<BR> <BR>I have been wanting to take some pictures of John's home observatory for the longest time. He bought it used in Virginia. He said that the assembly was very easy and he had it ready to go in no time.<BR> <BR>This is the type of backyard observatory that I have been wanting for some time.<BR> <BR>John made some adjustments to the base and sent the first three pictures . This allows him to move the entire base when on occasion the roof hampers his visibility at the zenith when imaging.<BR> <BR>It should also be noted that the picture of Johns log house is his second. In May of 1989 his first home was completed destroyed by an F-5 tornado...yes an F-5. This is a rarity in western North Carolina.<BR> <BR>Just another bit of trivia. One day John and I were riding our bicycles during the summer of 1965 (a mutual agreement regarding the date) and we had a bicycle race. This was my first official race. Neither of us can remember who won. At the time I was 12 years old and John was ten. <BR> <BR>Little did I know that I would eventually ride over 100,000 miles and would enter quite a few Pro/AM races with good success. <BR> <BR>Enjoy, and best regards, Roger Ivester <BR> <BR> <BR>
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From: jbcustom@darrcam.com<BR>To: drivester@hotmail.com<BR>Subject: POD<BR>Date: Sun, 12 Apr 2009 11:36:39 -0400<BR><BR>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Roger</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Here are the pics I told you about. Hope someone can benefit from them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>John</FONT></DIV><BR>
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