RODOS Practical Astrophotography Workshops are meetings of a group of friends fascinated by the beauty of the starry sky. Since 2013, we meet twice a year at RODOS (Rodzinna Ogrodzona Działka Ozimka Szymka - Polish word joke -in fact, it is the land of Szymek Ozimek located in a village near Lubaczów in the subcarpatian region) exchanging experiences in the field of astrophotography image processing and astrophotography equipment and at the same time tightening the ties of friendship in nice circumstances. We also took part in the configuration of the new observatory in Tymce, which was honored with a permanent exhibition of our works on the walls of the observatory tower.
 

One year before take-off in Tymce observatory

 
A group of participants of the RODOS Autumn 2021 meeting went on a visit to the future observatory in Tymce. The attached photos show the degree of progress of the work in the observatory building and the progress of finishing the accompanying structure.
   

 

 

Former water tower converted into an observatory

 

  
Inside renovation in progress. RODOS team on the ground floor
   
 

 

Inside renovation in progress. RODOS team on the ground floor

 

  
Auxiliary building: toilets, lecture room.
   
 
 
The buildings of the former station will be reception and hotel facilities
 
  
Can you get there by train???
 
 

 

RODOS team at Basznia Dolna station. The observatory building in the background.
       
 
 
 

Observatory in Tymce opened!


On Saturday, September 17th 2022, the ceremonial opening of the astronomical observatory in Tymce in Lubaczów district in Podkarpacie took place.
Observatory with accommodation and development of the surrounding area was carried out as part of the revitalization of the recovered old buildings of the PKP ( Polish Railwey) and financed mostly from European funds under the task “Reduction of social, economic and spatial problems in the municipality of Lubaczów by revitalization of degraded post-railway and post-industrial facilities along with the development of the surrounding area” with the own contribution of the municipality of Lubaczów. As part of this project, an astronomical observatory with a four-metre dome was built in the old water tower as well as a lecture room for exhibitions in the hydrofurnace building. After fencing and arranging the environment around these objects, outdoor educational installations were created, including a sundial, armillary sphere (a kind of astrolabe), optical instruments – kaleidoscope, polarization filters, mirrors and others. For young people and all other willing and courageous prepared gyroscope with saddle and balancer. There is also paved parking for approx. 20 cars with lights off during operation of the observatory. You can see more details in the pictures below.

At a distance of about 300 meters in the buildings of the former Basznia Dolna railway station, 30 beds with small social facilities for individuals and groups visiting the observatory were prepared – after a general renovation of the infrastructure. A pebble, discreetly lit path connects the observatory with this object. The path lighting is – of course – controlled from the observatory. The social buildings are separated from the main area by dense forest, which guarantees the absence of disturbances caused by their illumination in the operation of the observatory.
The ceremonial opening was made by the hosts of this area by the mayor of Lubaczów, Mr. Wiesław Kapel. Among the invited guests were representatives of the contractor, the project team, delegations from other similar objects, including from the Youth Astronomical Observatory in Niepołomice, representatives of astrophotographers from Poland and Slovakia, councilors of Lubaczów and many other people involved in the implementation and preparation of the project.  The guests visited the facilities guided by Anna Olchowy and Szymon Ozimek – the management of the “exploitation” of this observatory and its social and educational part.

 

 

 
And now what is most interesting for us: the equipment.

A Direct Drive ASA DDM 100 is installed under the ScopeDome automated dome. The basic equipment is a 14 inch Ritchey- Chretien GSO and a 130 mm LZOS refractor. ASI 6200 mono camera with set of interference filters Baader Planetarium (LRGB) and Baader Planetarium Ha. OIII and SIII. The second camera is ZWO ASI 183MC. The control is implemented by a dedicated PrimaLuceLab Eagle4 computer. The main RC telescope is equipped with a Primalucelab ESATTO 3” focuser with an ARCO 2” rotator.

In addition, the observatory has a 130 mm LUNT solar telescope, a 12” Newton telescope on Dobson mount for visual observations with a rich set of Nagler eyepieces (5mm, 9mm, 13mm, 17mm, 21mm, 31mm). 
Let's have a quick look around.

 

 
 
Observatory itself looks a bit different than year ago. 

 

  
 
In the park suorrounding observatory building outdoor educational installations were created, and among them - sundial, armillary sphere (a kind of astrolabe), optical instruments - kaleidoscope, polarization filters, mirrors and others.

 
 
 
For young people and all other willing and courageous prepared gyroscope with saddle and balancer. 
There is also paved parking for approx. 20 cars with lights off during operation of the observatory.

 

  
 
Next to the observatory, in the building of the former hydrofurnace, there is a complex of toilets for visitors and a room well equipped with audiovisual equipment for conferences and lectures for about 100 people.