– Make room for future adjustments: your telescope of choice today might be a compact 8-inch beauty but who says you won’t have different tastes in three to five years? Build today with extra room for the future in case plans change. It’s better to double your budget and have leftovers to deal with extra costs like electrical supplies, fencing, takes and more. – Inadequate budget: cost overrun is a common problem with home observatory projects that many people take for granted. Stick to with wooden structures and grass surroundings. These materials soak heat during the day and disperse it as radiation at nighttime, making telescopic vision blurry. Even closeby parking lots and asphalt walkways are a problem. – The right materials: the use of brick and concrete blocks is trouble for your project.
Find out about restrictions of building such a structure in your area and get all required permissions ahead of time. – Beware of local zoning regulations: there’s no point taking the time, energy and money to set up the perfect observatory just to have it knocked down by authorities or face fines for violations. If you value convenience, build your observatory closer to home. You can have one close to your house or at a distant location for a better sky. – Choosing the wrong location: it isn’t uncommon for an amateur astronomer to make mistakes when selecting the location for their first observatory. Here are some potential problems you should avoid before starting. Common Mistakes To AvoidĪs with many other building projects, one has to put some factors into consideration before beginning a backyard observatory project. Keep reading as we discuss common problems to avoid on these projects and steps to follow for success, and just like Jonathan Fay, you can gaze at the starts from your own home. You can wave goodbye to those days when you envied your best friends observatory and only wished you had yours.
#Backyard observatory how to#
Already a subscriber? Simply log in or create an account below.If you have recently contemplated the idea of a simple backyard observatory, but got discouraged when you couldn’t figure out how to make it work, this article is just for you.
#Backyard observatory archive#
Subscribers have full access to our equipment review archive and many other great online benefits. To continue reading this review you need to be an Astronomy magazine subscriber. Three of these newcomers offer different approaches to housing your scope. Domes in the average amateur's price range became more available in recent years. The roll-off roof allows rapid climatic adjustment, but less light and wind protection than a dome. A dome provides better wind and light protection, yet it traps daytime heat. But the allure of a dome still beckons many amateurs. A simple "roll-off roof " observatory was also an alternative. Building a backyard observatory 25 years ago usually meant one of two things: Buy a dome or do it yourself from scratch. So, many amateur astronomers have looked to mimic the "big boys" over the years and put their telescopes in a more permanent installation - an observatory. If your telescope is too big or too complicated to set up easily, you might find it collecting dust instead of starlight. Reynolds This review, "Choose the dome that's right for you," appeared in the May 2008 issue of Astronomy magazine There's a saying in astronomy: The best telescope is the one you use.