TheSkySearchers

I'll start. I built this observatory six years ago. When we moved less than two years later, I wasn't about to leave it behind, so I had a crew jack it up onto a flatbed trailer and haul it to the new place, where I reinstalled it.
Taken with my ASI120MC with the 2mm fisheye lens. It doubles as my security camera when not in astro use.

Gosh Kathy, that's a dream come true! Is it heated during winter?

The Happy Parrot wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 11:56 am Gosh Kathy, that's a dream come true! Is it heated during winter?

I WISH!!

You don't want heat in the winter, because that will cause bad seeing as the warm inside air rises out through the slot. I do have a small space heater for when I am doing maintenance.

That makes sense. We need astronaut suits sans the helmets for winter viewing.

Just a quick couple from a few years back.
Steve

Opps, one pic did post, must've done something wrong.
Showing roll-off open during construction, note A/C unit. Not heated, but cooled, just like the pro's.

Steve

It's small but it has worked very well for me for a long time!
I made it out of old scrap stuff I had laying around. My daughter had just had her home re-roofed and had a bundle of roof material left. So all said and done I probably had $50.00 invested in it. It has withstood heavy winds, rain, snow etc etc and never leaked. I run everything from inside my office so no sitting in the cold. I remove the scopes and cameras from the mount and bring them inside but the mount stays outside.

I'll add my 2¢ adjusted for inflation...
A 7'x7' RoR shed trying very hard to blend in with all the other little sheds in the neighborhood...
Everything can be controlled from here, or from my main machine in the house.
It has full electric and is hard-wired via Cat5 to the house's network, so has full internet as well.
Please note the desk area has been upgraded and there are new cameras on the scope. I need to get updated pics of the rig.

Oh, and just because...
Santa never had things like this when I was a kid...
We saw this while we were out with the Granddaughter over last Christmas Holiday season at the Mall.

colour me green! . Seriously though, threads like this are really useful for people considering building an observatory type structure. Gordon's picture reminded me of an elderly gent living in the suburbs of Sydney with something similar in size. It was about the size and shape of an old outhouse. It will be interesting to see what other designs people have come up with - with or without a dome. Thanks to all!

The Happy Parrot wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 12:34 pm That makes sense. We need astronaut suits sans the helmets for winter viewing.

more like ski gear where we are - and that's just during the day.

3m x 3m garden shed with homemade roof and 8 foot diameter dome.
Unpowered but easy to revolve with on hand.

Wow!
I just came across your thread.
This is a fantastic display of observatories!

I think I feel a construction project coming on...:-)

Jennifer Christine wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2019 9:06 pm 20190308180246_IMG_3162.JPG
3m x 3m garden shed with homemade roof and 8 foot diameter dome.
Unpowered but easy to revolve with on hand.

looks like QLD. - with the bush around, I mean. . I can't tell from the image but it seems that you have trees blocking sight behind the obs. Does this cause any problems Jennifer?

Truckloads.
Slowly trimming back trees.
The Western side though is clear to 15 degrees and no lighting.

Jennifer Christine wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 4:44 am Truckloads.
Slowly trimming back trees.
The Western side though is clear to 15 degrees and no lighting.

sounds like a labour of love.

Mine is a Pulsar 2.2M , with 1 equipment bay located in an 'English Country Garden'! I took this photo last year, but since then I've raise the all-sky camera by half a metre. Also it is now powered by a 12v solar panel and batteries.


It is getting a bit crowded in there with the 11 inch, but is OK for me, and 1 or 2 guests

Aratus that has a really nice feel - I can see how your garden observatory would sit well in the 1800's. Thanks!

Thank you. Visitors to our garden often don't even notice that there is an observatory there. Other friends have likened it to Jules Verne's Columbiad. They imagine I'm going to take a trip to the moon in it!

In fact I took inspiration from16th century Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, who invented the astronomical dome as we know it today. His 'Uraniburg' and 'Stellaburgus' observatories were surrounded by gardens, and, in the style of the day, was designed to be symmetrical and harmonise with its surroundings. It is a pity he lived a little too early to see the invention of the telescope. I know some astronomers like their observatories to be practical and devoid of anything which is not strictly neccesary - and I appreicate that . Personally I like a bit of cultural reference and harmonisation. Like Tycho Brahe, I have references to past astrometers dotted around the garden, and some art work, and even little bits of poetry. Controversial stuff - I know! :twitch:

even the odd sundial and orrery perhaps?