Bowmoreman
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/11/06
Posts: 3988
Loc: Bolton, MA
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Just realized mine's not here either!
Wilder Skies Observatory: Bolton, Massachusetts. Built by Backyard Observatories (Scott and team!) end of July 2007.
Introductory thread with site pictures, and debates about location: Just got Permission
Construction and launch thread, with many pictures (and barbeque!): Thus Begins Wilder Skies Observatory
Clear skies all - and to those CONSIDERING an observatory - just do it - best investment in viewing you can ever do
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Dave
Imaging: MI-250+ADM/SBS/Optec Libra: C11Hyperstar,TMB80SS
Visual: XT10i RTP
TV: 31T5,22T4,17T4,12T4,13Ethos,8Ethos;2x Powermate,Paracorr, 1.6X Antares, Hyperion8-24Zoom
Cameras: Mallincam Color Hyper Plus, QHY8
Guider: SBIG STV eFinder
Key Add-ons: Gerbings Heated clothes, WilderSkiesObservatory(BYO#90), Speco 9"Monitor
Edited by Bowmoreman (10/02/07 02:30 PM)
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Raven911
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/12/05
Posts: 1806
Loc: by Cloudcroft, NM
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Here is my little scope shed... Skunky Acres Observatory. More like a sliding roof shelter than a full fledged observatory. I squeezed my 10" SNT and a computer in there.
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http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v287/Raven911/Astrophotos/
http://www.eye-of-the-raven.blogspot.com/
My list of second-hand and home-made stuff:
Celestron SC6
Celestron C9.25
100mm F6/76mm F4.5/80mm F5/SV NHII 80mm F6 Achros
SBIG ST7/Canon 300D/DSI Pro Mono/Starshoot DSCI
8 inch F7 Newt on Edmund EQ
8 inch F4.5 Project Astrograph
Edited by Raven911 (10/02/07 01:55 PM)
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Siderea
Astronomess
Reged: 11/21/05
Posts: 2066
Loc: Left Coast
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Treehouse Observatory
Stealth mode by day
 
Screens out, and ready for the nighttime..
 
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lc Carol
..."Then the blue above grows darker and a million stars erupt
From the places where they hide throughout the day
Into pictures in the heavens even we cannot corrupt
And the vastnesses of time can't wash away..."Jeff Green
60mm Telescope Club
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MHamburg
super member
Reged: 06/21/06
Posts: 112
Loc: Brooklyn, NY/Middlefield, MA
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 I would like to add West Hill Observatory in the Berkshires of western Mass that I began 20 years ago. I am a little more experienced now so my mistakes cry out to me. But I'm working on it.
Meade DS16
Orion 80mmED
Orion Starfinder 6" Dob
Celestron 114mm Nexstar
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 570
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Just thought I would add the Lily Lake observatory in Northern Illinois. This is a roll off that opens in both directions. It holds two telescopes. It is built using normal specs. The roof sections are pretty heavy but roll on a gate track on whells that are grooved for the track. Very little friction.
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Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 570
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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This is the interior. The piers are steel set on concrete pads. They are made of two sections. One section slides into the larger base. The hieghts can be adjusted with spacers. The piers are filled with sand. The taller pier has a top section that can be adjusted. The adjustable sections allow the pier too be directly aimed at Polaris, with the fine tuning handled by the wedges.
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Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 570
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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The Dark Sky observatory is in North Central Iowa on our farm. This one is a POD. It was just finished last week.
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Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 570
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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This is an image of the Thinking Outside plastic shed observatory, also in Iowa, that was replaced by the POD. It is still there and will be used for smaller scopes and as a warm / storage room.
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Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 570
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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A picture of the POD withe the Meade 12 inch Supercharged LX200.
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Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Digital Don
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/20/04
Posts: 1281
Loc: Manteno
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Here's my contribution - Mount Jennings Observatory a.k.a. BYO #100.
Construction link: Mount Jennings Observatory
Don
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John Wunderlin
Vendor - Spike-a Focusing Mask
Reged: 10/01/04
Posts: 690
Loc: Mineral Point, Wi
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Here's my observatory. Three members share construction and equipment costs. We're renting land from a farmer with mag 6+ skies- it's working out extremely well for us so far. We've been in for almost exactly a year now.
More construction photos are available here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/johnwunderlin/ObservatoryConstruction
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John Wunderlin
Vendor - Spike-a Bahtinov Focusing Mask
Empire Ranch Observatory
Iowa County Astronomers
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techmgr
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 05/31/03
Posts: 777
Loc: Southeastern Indiana
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Corydon Ridge Observatory in SE Indiana
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John Moore
Corydon Ridge Observatory
My CN Gallery
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karim
super member
Reged: 11/09/05
Posts: 129
Loc: HB, California
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I noticed you live in a cold area and I assume the interior of your house is kept warm. How does that affect viewing? I am sure it helps tremendously for cool down period, that is if there is any.
Thanks.
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http://www.eyepiecereviews.com
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karim
super member
Reged: 11/09/05
Posts: 129
Loc: HB, California
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Absolutely well constructed observatory. Congrats!
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http://www.eyepiecereviews.com
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Snaproll
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/20/04
Posts: 3824
Loc: Wisconsin
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Quote:
Corydon Ridge Observatory in SE Indiana
Nice photo. I love the Airedale avatar. 
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-Jim-
Happiness is a clear sky and a Denk II
old AP images and some new C14 Hyperstar images
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Tom Clark
sage
Reged: 11/14/07
Posts: 248
Loc: Chiefland, Florida
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I'm new to Cloudy Nights so this is my first post.
I started building my dome 10/01 and finished it in five months. The 42" was added almost two years later as the mirror was late coming in (naturally!) Starting in Amateur Astronomy Magazine issue #33 I wrote a large two part article on designing and building your own wooden dome.
The 24' dome sits in my front yard on the edge of the Chiefland observing field in north Florida.
The scope is a big ugly 1500 pound beast. It uses a square tube to help move the balance point closer to the center of the tube. The tube is fully baffeled, and has internal doors that close over the mirror. The go-to drive was built by Sky Commander.
On nights of good seeing the views are quite good, as nearly 1000 astronomers have seen so far.
If someone will let me know how to add a second photo, I will add the photo of the scope. Thanks!
Edited by Tom Clark (11/24/07 08:50 AM)
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kent
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/16/06
Posts: 825
Loc: P.E.I. Canada
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Welcome to Cloudy Nights Tom! Way to kick the door in when you make a entrance  By the sounds and looks you certainly have some setup! On the picture thing I guess the simplest way would be just to add another post using your other picture. There is other ways but their at a loss to me.
Once more Welcome Tom!
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Kent
Orion 100mm ED
Skywatcher 8" Newt
Skywatcher 10" Newt
Orion 20X80 Giant Veiw bino's
and a few other goodies
And in my possession(for the time being)
LX200R 14" behemoth
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Tom Clark
sage
Reged: 11/14/07
Posts: 248
Loc: Chiefland, Florida
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Thanks, Kent. Why didn't I think of that?
Sorry about the door!
Anyway, here is the big ugly beast. If anyone knows how to build an uglier scope please let me know!
However, being a die-hard visual observer, to me it works beautifully. A 42" brings in a lot of light, and on nights of good seeing the views are wonderful. On other nights, when the seeing is bad, it can't keep up with smaller instruments. Those nights make you wonder if it was worth all the trouble. Oh well, we live for the good nights, right?
So why a dome instead of the more normal roll-off for a Dob? After 20 years of observing, I was tired of the weather, and wanted out of it. What good would six foot high walls be when you are 14' high at the eyepiece? The dome is warmer than being out in the elements, and there is never any dew in a dome. When you miss the open sky you can simply walk out the door.
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kent
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/16/06
Posts: 825
Loc: P.E.I. Canada
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I guess Tom, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And I think she looks like a beaut to me. How could you not like 42" of amperture! 
As far as the dome it works for me. I was in my very first dome just last Saturday night, at the UPEI in Charlottetown and it certainly took the chill off. So no arguments from me.
Beautiful scope, seriously and a really nice ladder to go along with it! 
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Kent
Orion 100mm ED
Skywatcher 8" Newt
Skywatcher 10" Newt
Orion 20X80 Giant Veiw bino's
and a few other goodies
And in my possession(for the time being)
LX200R 14" behemoth
Edited by kent (11/24/07 04:56 PM)
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Chris Schroeder
Postmaster
Reged: 12/11/04
Posts: 6548
Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow
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Welcome Tom and the scope looks good to me
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Chris
Mallincam Color Hyper Plus
10" DSH with SC DSC, CPC 800 XLT
M110 Doublet ED, AT 102Achro, ZS80FD 10th Anniv, ZS66SD, PST
CG5-AGT, EZ-Touch, Voyager
POD XL3 http://POD.SchroederCity.com
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