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Looking for advice on roof automation

Starkeeper Voyager Equipment DIY Observatory Backyard Astrophotography
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Chris White- Overcast Observatory avatar
Chris White- Overcast Observatory avatar
Hello everyone.  I built a small backyard observatory a few years ago.  It's been wonderful for me to be able to get out and image any time I want regardless of how tired or unmotivated I am. 

It has a manual roof and I'm looking for ideas on how to motorize and automate it. 

I am mechanically inclined, so rigging something up is not intimidating for me.  However I am pretty ignorant when it comes to software code, so I'd need something that is easy as far as the integration with my software capture is concerned.  Maybe something like this already exists? 

I use voyager in case that matters and I also already have a cloud watcher setup for weather monitoring. 

Thanks all,



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andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
Luca Marinelli avatar
Luca Marinelli avatar
Hi Chris,

I have a backyard observatory with full roof automation. There are homegrown solutions based on Arduino controllers but given the consequences of failure of the control software, I chose to go with a commercial solution. I have installed an Aleko gate motor with a fiberglass gear track lag bolted into the roof and use the SkyAlert/SkyRoof system by Interactive Astronomy (also Arduino based) for weather station and roof controller (https://interactiveastronomy.com/skyroof.html). Both SkyAlert and SkyRoof come with ASCOM drivers that can be immediately integrated as safety monitors and weather condition monitors in any imaging application. I am also pretty sure you can continue using your Cloudwatcher device as long as it outputs a Boltwood style weather file. SkyRoof reads the Boltwood file and has its internal logic to decide when to close the roof based on a combination of clouds, precipitation, humidity, temperature, wind, and sensor malfunction.

Luca
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Bruce Donzanti avatar
Bruce Donzanti avatar
Chris

Here is the automated system I use on my ROR……. http://piertechinc.com/roll-off-roof-observatories/automation-system/

Bruce
Chris White- Overcast Observatory avatar
Chris White- Overcast Observatory avatar
Luca Marinelli:
Hi Chris,

I have a backyard observatory with full roof automation. There are homegrown solutions based on Arduino controllers but given the consequences of failure of the control software, I chose to go with a commercial solution. I have installed an Aleko gate motor with a fiberglass gear track lag bolted into the roof and use the SkyAlert/SkyRoof system by Interactive Astronomy (also Arduino based) for weather station and roof controller (https://interactiveastronomy.com/skyroof.html). Both SkyAlert and SkyRoof come with ASCOM drivers that can be immediately integrated as safety monitors and weather condition monitors in any imaging application. I am also pretty sure you can continue using your Cloudwatcher device as long as it outputs a Boltwood style weather file. SkyRoof reads the Boltwood file and has its internal logic to decide when to close the roof based on a combination of clouds, precipitation, humidity, temperature, wind, and sensor malfunction.

Luca



Luca,

I think this might be just the thing I'm looking for.  Looks like a turn key solution, just need to install all of the gear.

Thanks for the suggestion!!!
Jerry Yesavage avatar
Jerry Yesavage avatar
I have the industrial solution from Pier-Tech.  It is bomb-proof but $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$