Telescope Reviews: Boyd Observatory.....still being made???

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Equipment Discussions >> Observatories

Pages: 1

zawijava
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 10/06/07

Loc: Wells, Maine 04090

Boyd Observatory.....still being made???
#5670825 - 02/09/13 02:07 PM

Anyone know if this company Clear Sky, Inc is still producing Observatories? Web page is still up but unable to make contact.

thanks! -Tim

EDIT: please scroll down...it's actually Boyd Observatories

Edited by zawijava (02/10/13 11:09 PM)

Post Extras:

1965healey
The Snarkster

Reged: 06/23/07

Loc: San Antonio, TX

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: zawijava]
#5670980 - 02/09/13 04:15 PM

Looks like the name is available. It's been associated with someone named Tucker Arneson in the past, last active in 2007.
http://www.whoisentry.com/available/clearskiesinc.com

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zawijava
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 10/06/07

Loc: Wells, Maine 04090

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: 1965healey]
#5671257 - 02/09/13 07:21 PM

That's a shame, really nice looking Observatory. Anyone reading this that owns one of these Clear Sky Observatories care to comment on how you like it, functionality etc?

thanks! -Tim

Quote:

Looks like the name is available. It's been associated with someone named Tucker Arneson in the past, last active in 2007.
http://www.whoisentry.com/available/clearskiesinc.com

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1965healey
The Snarkster

Reged: 06/23/07

Loc: San Antonio, TX

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: zawijava]
#5671350 - 02/09/13 08:08 PM

You could contact the township where the business was located, less than 3,000 people, they may know what is the status of the company.
http://almonttownship.org/

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zawijava
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 10/06/07

Loc: Wells, Maine 04090

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: 1965healey]
#5671516 - 02/09/13 10:29 PM

thanks, I'll give that a try! -Tim

Quote:

You could contact the township where the business was located, less than 3,000 people, they may know what is the status of the company.
http://almonttownship.org/

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GrassyPond
sage

Reged: 02/06/07

Loc: South Georgia

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: zawijava]
#5671936 - 02/10/13 08:04 AM

Google "boyd observatories".
Looks like the same system to me.

Post Extras:

zawijava
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 10/06/07

Loc: Wells, Maine 04090

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: GrassyPond]
#5672326 - 02/10/13 12:53 PM

Yes, I recognize the name now. Looks like the site is still active but I haven't seen/heard much talk about these units over the past 4-5 years. I'll try to make contact. Thanks again! -Tim

Quote:

Google "boyd observatories".
Looks like the same system to me.

Post Extras:

Midnight Dan
Postmaster

Reged: 01/23/08

Loc: Hilton, NY, Yellow Zone (Bortl...

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: zawijava]
#5672338 - 02/10/13 01:08 PM

Looks like a very nice observatory! I have a skyshed POD on order, but would have given this a look if I knew it existed ... depending on the price of course.

-Dan

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zawijava
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 10/06/07

Loc: Wells, Maine 04090

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: Midnight Dan]
#5672475 - 02/10/13 02:33 PM

Boyd Observatories prices. They seem in line with other similar offerings, but again, I have not yet contacted him to see if he's still building/selling these. I knew they existed and have always thought their design was quite good, so went looking for them again. I'm hoping he's still in business.

-Tim

Edit: I just sent Garry Boyd an email from the above website, it would not go through, came back undeliverable immediately. The phone number listed is "no longer in service".

Quote:

Looks like a very nice observatory! I have a skyshed POD on order, but would have given this a look if I knew it existed ... depending on the price of course.

-Dan

Edited by zawijava (02/10/13 11:07 PM)

Post Extras:

Smack
super member

Reged: 07/24/09

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: zawijava]
#5674677 - 02/11/13 07:35 PM

Hi Tim,

There are lots of observatory options out there that would seem to be on much firmer footing than this. I wonder what's caught your eye about this one?

Regards,

Steve

Post Extras:

zawijava
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 10/06/07

Loc: Wells, Maine 04090

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: Smack]
#5674765 - 02/11/13 08:34 PM

Well, now I'm just curious as to what happened to Garry Boyd and his Boyd Observatory. That being said, I do like the look of this observatory as compared to what's being offered currently. Also I like the design of how the dome attaches/rotates to the walls. The entire design seems well thought out both functionally and aesthetically speaking. -Tim

Quote:

Hi Tim,

There are lots of observatory options out there that would seem to be on much firmer footing than this. I wonder what's caught your eye about this one?

Regards,

Steve

Post Extras:

John Wunderlin
Vendor - Spike-a Focusing Mask

Reged: 10/01/04

Loc: Mineral Point, Wi

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: zawijava]
#5675954 - 02/12/13 02:24 PM

I've owned one for over 6 years now. Very happy with it- I think it's one of the better looking domes available, but I'm probably biased. Just 2 downsides: 1) Snow/ice mess with the dome rotation pretty badly because unlike some of the other options dome area allows snow build-up. I've solved that problem with a gutter heater rope. 2) The site says that automated dome rotation coming soon, but that hasn't changed since I've owned the dome and I don't think it's in the works.

Here is a link of pictures when I moved the dome from my country location to my back yard.

Post Extras:

zawijava
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 10/06/07

Loc: Wells, Maine 04090

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: John Wunderlin]
#5676033 - 02/12/13 03:07 PM

John, thanks for the link to your Observatory project. I'm unable to make contact with either Clear Sky Observatory nor with Boyd Observatory. Do you by chance have any current contact info for either of them? Do you know if Clear Skies Observatory bought out Boyd Observatory at some point? It's definitely the same Observatory and Garry Boyd was the designer and builder for a period of time. But now both seem to have closed up shop

thanks, -Tim

Quote:

I've owned one for over 6 years now. Very happy with it- I think it's one of the better looking domes available, but I'm probably biased. Just 2 downsides: 1) Snow/ice mess with the dome rotation pretty badly because unlike some of the other options dome area allows snow build-up. I've solved that problem with a gutter heater rope. 2) The site says that automated dome rotation coming soon, but that hasn't changed since I've owned the dome and I don't think it's in the works.

Here is a link of pictures when I moved the dome from my country location to my back yard.

Post Extras:

John Wunderlin
Vendor - Spike-a Focusing Mask

Reged: 10/01/04

Loc: Mineral Point, Wi

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: zawijava]
#5676043 - 02/12/13 03:11 PM

It was always very difficult to get in touch with the Clear Skys folks- even when I had a fat check to send them

. I forget the name of the person in charge- he personally drove my dome down from Michigan- very nice guy. As I recall there was a relationship between the 2, but the Clear Skys dome is slightly different from the Boyd as you can see in the pictures. I don't know if they're still in business, though. The last time I tried to reach them was 4-5 years ago.

Post Extras:

John Wunderlin
Vendor - Spike-a Focusing Mask

Reged: 10/01/04

Loc: Mineral Point, Wi

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: John Wunderlin]
#5676051 - 02/12/13 03:13 PM

I just did a search in my email- he was still operating as of 2010. Here's the email address I have: clearskysinc@usol.com

Edited by John Wunderlin (02/12/13 03:14 PM)

Post Extras:

John Wunderlin
Vendor - Spike-a Focusing Mask

Reged: 10/01/04

Loc: Mineral Point, Wi

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: John Wunderlin]
#5676054 - 02/12/13 03:14 PM

Name: Dennis Schmalzel

Post Extras:

zawijava
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 10/06/07

Loc: Wells, Maine 04090

Re: Clear Sky Observatory.....still being made??? new

[Re: John Wunderlin]
#5677728 - 02/13/13 01:47 PM

John,

I'll have to look more carefully, I missed the fact that the two were slightly different. I have not received a response form anyone at the email you listed. The Boyd Observatory website contacts, both email and phone, are no longer in service. -Tim

Quote:

It was always very difficult to get in touch with the Clear Skys folks- even when I had a fat check to send them . I forget the name of the person in charge- he personally drove my dome down from Michigan- very nice guy. As I recall there was a relationship between the 2, but the Clear Skys dome is slightly different from the Boyd as you can see in the pictures. I don't know if they're still in business, though. The last time I tried to reach them was 4-5 years ago.

Post Extras:

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