April 2005: Installed permanent pier and built roll-off hut to house telescope; trenched all cables underground into house for remote control - Generation 1
May 2005: Began imaging using LX200 Mount and 10" OTA; switched to Celestron go-to mount and C-8 OTA with Starlight camera
September 2006 - October 2008: Converted to spectroscopy focusing on understanding and documenting variability in Be (hydrogen emission) stars; Used SBIG DSS-7 and SGS spectrographs with ST-7 camera. Visit spectroscopy page for more information.
October 2008 - November 2010: Switched back to astroimaging; installed Losmandy G-11 Gemini mount; imaged with C-8 and Takahashi Sky-90 OTAs; Now using SBIG ST-10 XME camera
November 2010 - March 2011: Decommissioned Generation 1 observatory to make room for house remodel. Of course, house remodel required removal of an annoying palm tree, builing a 10 x 10 wooden deck -now relocated on eastern side of backyard, and ordering a SkyShed POD (February 2011). Trenched AC power and Cat-5 lines from remodel to pier.
March 2011: Reinstalled pier in new location; built wooden deck to hold POD (Still on order)
April 2011: SkyShed POD arrives; Installed on April 23rd, 2011
April 2011: Generation 2 now active. Imaging using Losmandy G-11 Gemini mount; Takahashi Sky 90 and Vixen R200SS 8" F4 Newtonian telescopes.
October 2011: Designated Site - Running Man Observatory - in recognition of my first published astroimage which appeared in the Takahashi Gallery in 2005
