TheSkySearchers

As I am not getting younger, but rather turn 52 at the end of the month I'm getting interested in observatories so I don't have to haul out the Dob or AR152 when I get out. I'm curious if anyone has suggestions about domes and roll-off types. I'm thinking of buying the plans for the obsy and then hiring a contractor to build it.

Also, I am relocating this month to Washington state and will be going from poor Bortle 7ish skies to Bortle 3 where the Milky Way will be visible at night. Specifically, the neighborhood is about 12 miles from a city of some 80,000 but has no streetlights and is located in a valley between two mountains which also help to shield LP.

While I had planned to keep my house and buy a 2nd home I have decided instead to sell the house in April and take advantage of the very strong sellers' market in the Bay Area. My tentative plan right now is to buy a winter place in Arizona or N.M. in a year or two and spend 6 rainy months in the southwest and summers in the northwest.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Sounds like you're moving close to me? Anyway, I have a Skyshed plan, built it myself, and it looks it too. But still functional and has not fallen down yet. Winds have reached 80mph, didn't blow off the roof, must say something about the plans.

Just 0.02$
Steve

Wow, that's some high winds. Sounds like you did a great job building it. Thanks for telling me about Skyshed Steve!

I have an 8' Exploradome, with a wooden building made from the Exploradome plans. I am quite happy with it.